The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) on Wednesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the French revenue agency, Direction Générale des Finances Publiques (DGFP), to enhance cooperation in tax administration and promote efficiency in revenue collection.
The agreement, signed at the French Embassy in Abuja, was described as a strategic step towards strengthening bilateral ties in the area of tax innovation, intelligence sharing, and digital transformation.
Speaking during the event, FIRS Chairman, Dr Zacch Adedeji, said the MoU was designed to deepen collaboration between both countries amid growing challenges posed by a digitalising global economy.
“As economic activities become increasingly borderless, the ability of both our institutions to collaborate, share intelligence, and harmonise approaches will be crucial. This MoU provides exactly the platform we need to deepen that cooperation,” Adedeji said.
He explained that the partnership would allow Nigeria to benefit from France’s advanced technology in compliance management, taxpayer services, and data-driven enforcement, while France, in turn, could draw insights from Nigeria’s rapid digital growth and innovation in tax administration.
“The two-way exchange is essential as both countries adapt to emerging challenges such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) deployment, cybersecurity, and cross-border taxation,” he added.
Signing on behalf of the French government, Ambassador Marc Fonbaustier described the agreement as an important milestone, reaffirming the commitment of both nations to fiscal cooperation.
He underscored the need for shared approaches to tax administration, particularly in view of the complex nature of digital transactions and the growing need for transparency in international taxation.
In a separate development, Adedeji also unveiled a new identity for the Joint Tax Board (JTB), which will now be known as the Joint Revenue Board (JRB), following the enactment of the Joint Revenue Board of Nigeria (Establishment) Act 2025.
The law, signed by President Bola Tinubu on June 26, 2025, marks a new era in harmonised revenue administration in Nigeria.
The agreements come ahead of the FIRS’s formal transition into the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) in January 2026, in line with newly signed tax reforms approved by President Tinubu.
According to a statement by Adedeji’s Special Adviser on Media, Dare Adekanmbi, the transition is aimed at repositioning the agency to better manage emerging fiscal dynamics and embrace international best practices.
Adedeji emphasised that the reforms reflect a deliberate effort to engage more with global partners and reshape Nigeria’s tax system for resilience, innovation, and inclusivity.
He said, “Another important aspect is workforce development. While we look forward to learning from France’s well-structured human capital systems, particularly in professional standards, continuous learning, and organisational discipline, we also believe that our experience in managing a young, dynamic and diverse workforce will offer valuable insights to DGFIP.
“Together, we can develop models that strengthen institutional culture, build global competencies, and prepare our respective institutions for the future of public finance administration.
“We also anticipate strong bilateral cooperation in international taxation, exchange of information, transfer pricing, and Base Erosion and Profit Shifting BEPS-related work.”
He said that, as Nigeria moves into the era of the Nigerian Revenue Service, the partnership is a cornerstone of the transformation, one that will help build a modern, trusted, innovative, and globally connected revenue administration.
Also, unveiling the new identity at the 158th Meeting of the JTB in Abuja, with the theme: “Managing Transition: Driving Transformation, Building the Future of Tax Administration in Nigeria, the chair of the board described the new logo and accompanying brand elements as significant symbols of the institution’s evolution.
He said, “The new brand identity represents renewal, transformation, and our collective commitment to excellence in revenue administration. It reflects what the JRB stands for and will guide our activities and operations in the emerging dispensation.”
He said the transition to JRB marked a significant step toward a more unified and efficient national revenue administration architecture. He added that the reform is expected to deepen collaboration across revenue authorities, strengthen information sharing, and improve tax compliance nationwide.
Adedeji, therefore, urged member states and relevant agencies to align fully with the reform agenda and complete all necessary adjustments within their jurisdictions to ensure the seamless implementation of the new tax Acts, which come into effect on January 1, 2026.
In his remarks, Executive Secretary, JTB, Mr Olusegun Adesokan, said that with the transition, JRB will create a revenue-friendly environment that works for everyone.
He said the board is already working with revenue authorities to harmonise silos of taxpayers’ data to create a national database for the Tax ID project, adding that tax IDs will be generated for individuals and corporates using foundational data such as NIN and company registration numbers.
Adesokan further explained that the JRB will do much more in harmonising taxes, levies, and rates across the country, noting that chairmen of the Internal Revenue Services who are members of the board are already driving the domestication of a uniform tax and levy Act in their respective states.
In an interview with ThisDay, Executive Chairman, Kwara State Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Mrs Shade Omoniyi, urged the FIRS chairman to make additional amendments to ensure that road blocks cease to exist.
She said: “One of the major reforms in the tax reform bill that has just been signed is the banning of roadblocks, especially on the roads across the country. It has been found to be a major contributor to market prices, as a clear example.
“So, if we’re going to implement this and it is seen as of good value to people, we need to ensure that across the country, roadblocks are stopped in their entirety. It is only when we are able to do that that the value is seen by the people — you understand. You know we have so many agencies of government — we have ALGON, we have the police, we have all kinds of people on the road.
“Now, if we want to ensure that this happens and the prices of things in the market really go down, it has to be something that is accomplished across the country. If that is one of the major things we’re able to do with the new JRB, I personally will be very happy with what the President has been able to achieve.”
Also, speaking to ThisDay, Executive Chairman, Sokoto IRS, Mr Abubakar Tambuwal, said the JTB had taken the bull by the horns by ensuring that all revenue aspects are concentrated in a single entity.
On his part, Executive Chairman, Lagos IRS, Mr Ayodele Subair, said the new tax revolution was part of the groundbreaking reforms that the present administration had ushered into the country.
He told ThisDay, “The Joint Revenue Board is the umbrella body for all the revenue agencies in the country, and the Joint Revenue Board’s main objective really is to bring all revenue agencies together, to harmonise taxes all over the country, and to make sure that everything is uniformly applied across the nation
“This is very good for the nation itself; it’s very good for investment; and it’s very good for all stakeholders generally, because we need to develop our country. Nobody’s going to come and do it for us. It’s got to be us developing. And what does this mean for development? We have to generate revenue.”
Meanwhile, as Nigeria moves toward the January 1, 2026, implementation of the NRS Act, the FIRS has said it is ramping up partnerships with the country’s security and financial intelligence agencies.
The tax authority said tighter coordination would be essential to safeguard national revenue assets, dismantle tax-evasion networks, and reinforce the nation’s fiscal resilience.
At a high-level stakeholder engagement with security agencies in Lagos on Tuesday, the Head of the FIRS Special Enforcement Division, CSP Kyes Bakfur, said it was time for a more coordinated national effort in tax enforcement. According to him, effective revenue protection relies heavily on shared intelligence, joint field operations, and operational synergy among relevant agencies.
Bakfur disclosed that the division has, over the years, safeguarded FIRS facilities nationwide, led investigations into tax-related criminal offences, and conducted operations that strengthened the service’s revenue-collection drive.
“This year alone, our division successfully executed enforcement operations that contributed significantly to the broader revenue effort of FIRS,” he said.
With the approaching transition to the NRS, Bakfur stressed that the briefing was designed to deepen synergy with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) and the Financial Surveillance Unit (FSU), among others.
“Our expectation is a much more symbiotic association,” he said after the session. “The aim is to ensure that security agencies and other bodies involved in tackling tax evasion can work together to create a more robust agenda for national tax enforcement,” he added.
Responding to concerns about inadequate tools and infrastructure for enforcement officers, Bakfur assured participants that the FIRS leadership was proactively addressing those gaps.
“The Executive Chairman has taken decisive steps to resolve these issues,” he said.
FIRS consultant, Oladipo Olayemi, who delivered a paper titled: “Strengthening Inter-Agency Collaboration for Enhanced Revenue Generation and National Security in Nigeria”, said the focus of the engagement was to enhance collaboration— not to highlight internal flaws.
He noted that increased revenue would ultimately translate into better funding for security agencies. “More revenue generated means more funds for security outfits, ensuring we live in a safe environment,” he told participants.
Olayemi acknowledged that issues such as bribery and inter-agency misconduct exist but insisted the session was forward-looking.
He said, “We are not dwelling on the negatives. The real question is: where do we go from here? How do we work together to ensure security is provided and the revenue to support that security is generated adequately?”
Another FIRS consultant, Mr Oladipupo Arowoshebi, echoed this point, noting that with rising national security concerns, increased collaboration would not only boost enforcement efficiency but also ensure adequate funding for Nigeria’s security architecture.
Representing the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Chief Superintendent Adams Oluwaseyi reminded participants that corruption remains a significant threat to revenue collection.
Although the ICPC Act does not directly legislate on tax matters, she said the commission plays a vital role in prosecuting bribery, record falsification, and other corrupt practices that undermine tax administration. She added that monitoring political office holders for tax compliance is key to curbing high-level tax-related corruption.
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