NRS moves to simplify tax compliance, boost revenue through digital reforms

By Onu Okorie

Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) has reiterated its commitment to improving taxpayer education, simplifying tax processes and deploying digital solutions to make tax compliance easier for businesses and individuals.
The Executive Chairman of the NRS, Dr Zacch Adedeji, stated this on Thursday in Kano at a town hall meeting themed, “Tax Reform, Rev360 and E-Invoicing: Shaping the Future of Compliance for Medium and Emerging Taxpayers.”
Adedeji, who was represented by the Group Director, Government Business, Mr Wande Akinpelu, said the Service would continue to engage directly with taxpayers to identify challenges and improve the administration of the tax system.
“Our job is to collect the revenue due under the law, but we must also make it as clear and convenient as possible for taxpayers to meet their obligations,” he said.
According to him, the ongoing tax reforms are aimed at changing the way tax administration works in practice, particularly in areas such as taxpayer registration, filing of returns, payment of taxes, access to support services and resolution of complaints.
He said the objective was to build a tax system that is simpler to understand, easier to comply with, more transparent and predictable for businesses.
“The direction is straightforward. We want a system that is simpler to understand, easier to comply with, more transparent in its operation and more predictable for businesses,” Adedeji said.
The NRS chairman noted that the objectives could not be achieved through enforcement alone, stressing the importance of effective administration, trust, quality service and continuous engagement with taxpayers.
“We want to know where the difficulties are. We want to understand what needs clarification and what can be improved.
“The practical experience of taxpayers must inform the way these reforms are implemented,” he said.
Adedeji also emphasised the importance of taxpayer participation in the reform process, saying good policies could only achieve their objectives when those expected to comply with them understood the requirements.
He explained that Rev360 was designed to bring key taxpayer services together, making registration, filing, payment and interaction with the NRS more straightforward and accessible.
He added that E-Invoicing was intended to improve the quality and accuracy of transaction information, reduce avoidable disputes and promote a more efficient tax administration system.
Speaking at the event, the Group Director, Emerging Taxpayers Group, Mr Olufemi Oyebanji, said the meeting was organised to enable the Service to hear directly from taxpayers about the challenges and concerns they face.
Oyebanji said the feedback from taxpayers would help the NRS address identified challenges and improve compliance, with the expectation that the reforms would ultimately contribute to increased revenue for government.
A taxpayer from Gerawa Rice Mills, Kano, Mr Suleiman Abdullahi, welcomed the initiative, saying the forum would provide an opportunity to address some of the challenges businesses face in paying taxes to the government.
If you want, I can also make it more punchy and newspaper-like, with a stronger headline, intro/lead and shorter paragraphs suitable for publication.