The Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Dr. Saach Adedeji, said the ongoing transformation and innovation taking place at the nation’s Revenue Agency, has made it more Taxpayers-friendly now than before.

Dr. Adedeji said this at the FIRS Special Day at the ongoing 2024 Lagos International Trade Fair at the Tafawa Balewa Square,  Lagos.

Adedeji, the FIRS Chairman, who was represented at the occasion by Mr. Isola Akingbade, State Administrator, FIRS,  Lagos Island, underscored the importance of FIRS partnership with the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) on the staging of the yearly Lagos International Trade Fair.

“We are doing this because we know our business community and FIRS and partners in progress. It is on this understanding that Dr Saach Adedeji is doing everything possible to make sure that tax payments/filling processes are simplified for ease of compliance to Taxpayers.

“Today more attention is paid to our tax Payers – both internal and external.  Internal in this context is our staff because as members of staff of FIRS,  we do pay tax. Our external tax Payers are Corporate entities and Nigerian business men and women.

“It is never our desire for any business to die because we cannot collect taxes from a dead company and that is why the administration of Dr Adedeji is working hard to put in place a seamless tax payment process that will ensure compliance, eliminate unnecessary fines/penalties and ensure the progress and prosperity of our Taxpayers.

Also speaking,  Dr Loveth Onanuga, Director,  Tax Payers Services at FIRS, while highlighting the rationale behind FIRS and LCCI partnership regarding the staging of the Lagos International Trade Fair said that FIRS is taking part in the trade fair because of the importance it attaches to business community as critical stakeholder to the national growth and the need to enlighten the business community on the new face of FIRS.

“We Are here to participate in the trade fair as partners with the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI). They are strategic partners because they have created a platform like this for us to showcase our products and services and create awareness to our Taxpayers on what we do and what we expect from them.

“This platform gives us opportunity to interact and engage Taxpayers and Nigerian business community and enlighten them on the FIRS products and services and their tax obligations as businesses because we recognise that business Community is very key to economic development of the nation.

“We want them to know that FIRS is here to support them. I encourage the business community and all the participants to reach out to us even when they have issues with tax authorities that they have not been able to resolve,  they can come forward.  We are here for them and we will explain things to them and tell them how they can use technology to solve their tax problems.

“We will tell them about the use of the newly introduced Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) Code *829# which is our latest product.  With this,  you don’t have to come to tax office to verify your tax status. You can also use the code for general enquiries,” Dr Loveth Onanuga explained.

Highpoint of the occasion was the presentation of appreciation gifts to some Corporate entities who, over the years, have complied with their tax obligations as well as entrenched global best practices in their internal tax system.

Third from right,  Mr Gabriel Idahosa, President,  Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), presenting appreciation plque to Mr Isola Akingbade, State Administrator, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Lagos Island,representative of Dr. Saach Adedeji, Chairman, FIRS (2nd from left) and Dr Loveth Onanuga, Director, Taxpayers Services (3rd from left) at the FIRS Special Day at the ongoing 2024 Lagos International Trade Fair at Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos on Friday,  November 8, 2; watching left and right with excitement are LCCI officials.