FIRS dismisses Atiku’s claims, warns against politicising tax administration
The FIRS has refuted Atiku Abubakar's criticism regarding the appointment of Xpress Payments as a revenue collection agent, calling his statements "incorrect and misleading." Atiku had likened the appointment to the Alpha Beta system in Lagos. The FIRS clarified that it uses a multi-channel, multi-PSSP system, including platforms like Quickteller, Remita, Etranzact, Flutterwave and XpressPay. They emphasized that PSSPs are not collection agents, do not earn processing fees, and lack access to government funds which go directly to the Federation Account. The FIRS maintains the system promotes competition, innovation, and efficiency in tax collection, cautioning against politicizing the process and mischaracterizing routine administration, emphasizing transparency and stakeholder engagement in the national tax reform.
