Bauchi Gov’t To Boost IGR With Tourism Revenue Collection Innovation

The Bauchi state government has launched a Tourism Revenue Collection Data Portal aimed at providing a digital solution for efficient revenue generation in the tourism sector and boosting the state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).

This was disclosed yesterday by the Managing Director of the Bauchi State Tourism Development Corporation (BSTDC), Dr. Mohammed Nasir Yusuf, during a workshop organised by the Bauchi State Internal Revenue Service (BIRS) in collaboration with BSTDC.

The training, held at the BIRS hall in Bauchi, was designed to equip revenue officers from both agencies with the skills to manage the new portal.

Dr. Yusuf explained that the training covered key areas such as registration processes, enrollment creation, payment systems, receipt issuance, and payment of tourism levies.

He added that, if properly implemented, the innovation will empower the state to meet major financial obligations without solely depending on federal allocations.

He further emphasised that the portal aligns with global standards for sustainable tourism development and will help achieve the state’s strategic goals in the sector.

Also speaking Aliyu Salihu, managing-director of E-Transact Bauchi, said the portal will enhance transparency by tracking taxpayer transactions and automating revenue collection, thereby plugging financial leakages and improving MDA revenues.

Salihu praised the state government’s foresight in digitising public services to meet modern-day standards.

For his part, head of ICT at the BIRS, Mansur Alkali, assured of the agency’s commitment to partner with the Ministry of Commerce, the Tourism Board, and other MDAs to ensure the success of the digital revenue system.

One of the participants, Mary Ibrahim, commended the initiative, saying the training improved her understanding of tax assessment and will help simplify tax processes in her agency.

She also pledged to share the knowledge gained with other stakeholders.

The program was facilitated by E-Transact Bauchi and funded by the Bauchi State Government.