FCT Revenue Service To Harmonise Tax Systems, End Multiple Levies

The Federal Capital Territory Internal Revenue Service (FCT-IRS) has commenced a strategic push to harmonise revenue collection systems and implement new tax laws to end the era of fragmented taxation and illegal levies that have long plagued businesses and residents in the nation’s capital.

At a stakeholders’ engagement forum in Abuja yesterday, top officials of the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) and the FCT-IRS stressed the urgency of aligning sub-national tax practices with the broader fiscal reforms of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration.

The executive chairman of the FCT Internal Revenue Service (FCT-IRS), Micheal Ango, and the executive chairman of the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS), Dr Zach Adedeji attended the event.

Ango emphasised that harmonisation, which is a core focus of the forum, is not a power grab but a push for efficiency.

With the FCT marking 50 years since its conceptualisation in 1976, Ango stressed the urgency of infrastructural funding. He praised the FCT minister, Barr Nyesom Wike, for driving investments in roads, hospitals, and schools, while noting that the FCT-IRS’s role is to ensure sustainable revenue for these projects.

Though he declined to specify timelines for domesticating new tax laws, Ango assured stakeholders that collaboration with the legislature was underway.

He also dismissed claims of excessive FCT revenue, revealing a fivefold increase in collections early in 2026 compared to 2025, but cautioned, “Revenue is never enough.”

On overlapping taxes, he confirmed that Wike-led initiatives are resolving conflicts among FCT stakeholders, with the FCT-IRS at the helm.

Executive chairman of the NRS, Dr Zach Adedeji, represented by the Executive Secretary of the Joint Revenue Board, Mr Olusegun Philip Adesokan, described the forum, themed “Harmonising Revenue Systems and Implementing New Tax Laws”, as timely and strategic.

He stated that it reflects the direction of Nigeria’s evolving fiscal landscape and outlined the core objectives of the ongoing reforms, which are designed to reposition Nigeria’s domestic revenue architecture.

Adedeji warned that the success of these federal reforms hinges on effective implementation at the state and local government levels.

“The ultimate success, however, rests not merely on the legislative enactments, but on effective implementation, particularly at the sub-national level, where policy translates into real interaction with citizens and businesses,” he said.

The NRS boss was particularly critical of practices that have undermined public trust in the system, specifically citing challenges in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

He argued that as the seat of government, the FCT must exemplify modern governance standards.

“Fragmented revenue systems, multiplicity of taxes, informal collection mechanisms, illegal roadblocks, and indiscriminate sale of stickers and emblems undermine compliance, raise the cost of doing business, and erode public confidence.

“Such practices are inconsistent with the standards expected of a 21st-century capital city,” he said.

To tackle these issues, he called for a “coordinated and harmonised revenue framework” among the FCT administration, the FCT-IRS, and the six area councils. He emphasised the need for “clear delineation of functions, shared data systems, uniform compliance protocols, and structured information exchange.”

The forum also highlighted the critical role of technology in modernising tax administration. Dr Adedeji noted that manual processes must give way to digital solutions.

“Modern tax systems are digital. They are data-driven and automated. Integrated taxpayer databases, electronic payment platforms, and real-time reporting are no longer optional. They are foundational to effective fiscal governance.

“Technology reduces manual inefficiencies, strengthens audits, curbs leakages, and promotes transparency,” he said.

Echoing this sentiment, the director of Taxpayers Services at FCT-IRS, Lovette Onanuga, welcomed stakeholders to what she described as a two-way conversation.

She reaffirmed the Service’s commitment to building a system based on collaboration rather than confrontation.

“Our objective today is clear and significant: to build a shared understanding of the new tax laws, explore their practical implications for taxpayers and practitioners, and align our revenue systems to eliminate duplication, reduce compliance burdens, and enhance the ease of doing business within the FCT,” Ms Onanuga said.

She linked the engagement to the renewed hope agenda of President Tinubu, as implemented under the leadership of the FCT minister, Nyesom Wike.

Onanuga assured participants that their insights would help craft a pragmatic and impactful implementation framework.

“In this spirit, the FCT-IRS is deliberately advancing towards a more efficient, transparent and harmonised revenue framework that reflects the values of fairness, service and trust between the tax authority and the taxpayers,” she added.

Adedeji commended the FCT minister and the leadership of FCT-IRS for providing the platform for dialogue.

He expressed confidence that the deliberations would translate into practical steps, including the domestication of the state’s taxes and levies harmonisation laws at the sub-national level.

This, he noted, would provide much-needed relief, particularly for small and medium enterprises, and ensure that revenue mobilisation is “rules-based, transparent, and aligned with national reform objectives.”