I Don’t Take LEADERSHIP Honour For Granted – FIRS Chairman

The Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Dr. Zacch Adedeji, has said that he deeply appreciates his nomination as Public Service Person of the Year 2025 by LEADERSHIP Newspaper, describing it as an honour he does not take for granted.

Dr. Adedeji stated this when a delegation from LEADERSHIP Group, led by its Senior Vice-Chairman/Editor-in-Chief, Azu Ishiekwene, visited his office in Abuja to present the nomination letter formally.

Despite his well-known reluctance to attend award ceremonies, the FIRS boss said he would make an exception for the LEADERSHIP Awards. According to him, the nomination came as a surprise.

“I don’t take this honour for granted. Although I have never attended an award ceremony before, I will attend this one. The nomination was never discussed with me; I only saw it when a friend sent me the publication,” he said.

Reflecting on ongoing tax reforms, Dr. Adedeji noted that transforming Nigeria’s tax administration remained his core focus, adding that his decisions were always guided by what was best for the future of Nigeria’s revenue system.

Presenting the nomination letter, Ishiekwene said the award was based strictly on merit and Dr. Adedeji’s outstanding accomplishments since assuming office.

He noted that, although Nigeria had hundreds of federal agencies and thousands of public servants, Adedeji’s leadership in spearheading critical tax reforms, advancing digital transformation, and strengthening the FIRS as a customer-focused institution distinguished him from his peers.

“Your performance stood out without fail. You are doing an extraordinarily difficult job and succeeding despite the challenges. In a society where true heroes seem in short supply, we felt it was important to hold you up as a role model,” Ishiekwene said.

He added that LEADERSHIP, now in its 21st year, maintains the highest standards for its awards and conducts no prior consultations or negotiations with nominees.

Reading a paragraph from the official citation, Ishiekwene said Dr. Adedeji was nominated for his “exceptional leadership in championing tax reforms, driving unparalleled digital transformation, and achieving sustained growth in non-oil revenues.”

Ishiekwene emphasised that LEADERSHIP’s founding chairman, the late Sam Nda-Isaiah, envisioned awards that recognise integrity, diligence, and service to society, values he said Adedeji exemplifies.
The award ceremony is scheduled for February 12, 2026 and is expected to be one of the paper’s biggest events of the year.