President Bola Tinubu has written the Senate and the House of Representatives four different executive bills for far-reaching tax reforms.
One of the reforms is seeking the renaming of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, to the Nigeria Revenue Service, NRS.
The name-changing bill for FIRS is contained in the letter read on the floor of the Senate by its President, Godswill Akpabio, and the Speaker, House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas.
Entitled “The Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill,” according to President Tinubu, it seeks to repeal the Federal Inland Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, No. 13, 2007, and establishes the Nigeria Revenue Service, to assess, collect, and account for revenue accruable to the government of the federation.
Another reform bill in the letter entitled “Transmission of Fiscal Policy and Tax Reform Bills to the National Assembly,” is The Nigeria Tax Bill, which seeks to provide a consolidated fiscal framework for taxation in Nigeria.
Also, there is the Nigeria Tax Administration Bill. It seeks to provide a clear and concise legal framework for the fair, consistent and efficient administration of all the tax laws to facilitate ease of tax compliance, reduce tax disputes and optimize revenue.
Furthermore, there is the Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Bill. It aims to establish the Joint Revenue Board, the Tax Appeal Tribunal and the Office of the Tax Ombudsman for the harmonization, coordination and settlement of disputes arising from revenue administration in Nigeria.
According to President Tinubu, the proposed tax bill presents substantial benefits to a library, government connectives and economic growth by enhancing tax payers compliance, strengthening fiscal institutions, and fostering a more effective and transparent fiscal regime.
The President said: “In this, I am confident that these bills, once passed into law, will encourage and stimulate the economy.
“While I pray that the House of Representatives will, in their usual expeditious manner, consider and enact these bills into law, please accept, Mr Speaker, the assurances of my highest consideration and regards.”