The Edo Internal Revenue Service (EIRS) is embarking on a strategic partnership with the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) to bolster tax compliance among expatriates residing and working in Edo State.
This collaboration aims to improve data sharing and enforcement mechanisms to ensure a more equitable and comprehensive tax collection system.
Mr. Courage Eboigbe, Head of Corporate Communications and Taxpayers Enlightenment Services at EIRS, announced the initiative in a statement released Wednesday. The announcement follows a familiarization visit by the Executive Chairman of EIRS, Mr. John Odior, to the Edo State Comptroller of the NIS, during which the framework for the partnership was discussed.
Mr. Odior emphasized the critical role of coordinated institutional efforts in achieving national development goals. He highlighted that the core focus of the partnership will be establishing a robust data-sharing framework to improve revenue tracking, facilitate more effective economic planning, and enable more accurate financial projections for the state.
A key aspect of the collaboration will be ensuring that both expatriates and immigration personnel are brought into the tax net through the proper filing of individual tax returns. “We must ensure comprehensive tax compliance, especially among expatriates, through structured collaboration and information exchange,” Mr. Odior stated.
Further strengthening fiscal discipline, Mr. Odior proposed making Tax Clearance Certificates (TCC) a mandatory requirement for processing international passports. He believes this measure will significantly enhance compliance and streamline the tax collection process.
The EIRS Chairman underscored that this enhanced inter-agency synergy would deliver mutual benefits and significantly improve revenue generation for the state. He also conducted an educational session for immigration officers, clarifying the distinctions between federal and state taxes, outlining recent tax reforms, and emphasizing the importance of tax clearance compliance.
In related news, Mr. Odior revealed that the state government, under the leadership of Mr. Monday Okpebholo, has temporarily suspended revenue collection in the transport sector to alleviate the financial burden on residents.
Responding to the EIRS initiative, Edo Comptroller of NIS, Mr. Steve Ibeabuchi, acknowledged the crucial role of taxation in national development and assured the revenue agency of the NIS’s full cooperation. “We recognize the role of taxation in societal advancement and will support initiatives that promote compliance and development,” he affirmed.
This partnership between the EIRS and NIS marks a significant step towards improving tax compliance and revenue generation in Edo State, ultimately contributing to the state’s overall economic development.
