The federal government will soon be awash with cash, thanks to the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, which has introduced six electronic solutions (e-Services) to enhance convenience, transparency and round the clock processing and payment of taxes.
The new e-Services are: taxpayer registration (through e-Registration); payment of Stamp Duties (through e-Stamp Duty); payment of taxes (through online payment: e-TaxPay, Remita); receiving of electronic receipt after payment of taxes (through e-Receipt); filing tax returns online (through e-filing) and online Tax Clearance Certificates, TCC, through electronic Tax Clearance Certificate (e-TCC solution).
Tunde Fowler, executive chairman, FIRS, explained that the e-Services innovation represent a revolution in tax administration in Nigeria. “The idea behind the six ICT solutions is to make tax payment as easy as ABC, to bring convenience to our taxpayers. The ICT solutions, which we are bringing to the doorsteps of taxpayers, will ensure that taxpayers could pay, get receipt and get TCC from the comfort of their homes and offices anytime, anywhere in the world and round the clock. This saves the time of taxpayers, it is transparent, fast, easy to use and convenient,” said Fowler.
With the e- Receipt, when tax payments are made, an electronic notification is automatically sent to the taxpayer’s email and or phone number within 24 hours after payment. If a taxpayer loses the print out, it can be accessed on the FIRS e-Receipt platform by logging in into the FIRS website where the reciept can be downloaded.
The e-TCC provides an e-repository of all Tax Clearance Certificates, TCCs, issued by FIRS. It enables FIRS Staff and authorised third parties to obtain their TCC online without visiting a tax office. E-TCC reduces incidence of fraudulent certificates. “E-TCCs are automatically sent to the emails of taxpayers. Taxpayers can also request for and print their TCCs online,” Fowler said, adding that the introduction of the new solutions is one of the key steps to make the services of FIRS convenient, easy and available everywhere and at all times.