We will make use of technology to monitor revenue collection in real-time – FG

Zacchaeus Adedeji, the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Revenue, has revealed that the federal government has outlined a plan to utilize technology for real-time monitoring of revenue collection. During an interview on Channels Television, Adedeji explained that they intend to integrate the operations of various revenue collection agencies such as the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), and the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).

Furthermore, Adedeji highlighted that the implementation of this technology-driven approach would enable the government to increase the country’s annual revenue, which currently stands below N15 trillion, without the need for additional taxes

He said; “The current administration needs to increase the nation’s revenue not through taxation but by addressing indiscipline in national spending and technologically monitoring revenue collection when agencies like FIRS and Nigerian Customs are harmonised.

“The law is very clear as to how to collect revenue. In Section 162 of the Nigerian Constitution, it is clearly stated that there shall be an account called the Federation Account and all government revenue must be put into that account.

“When we talk about harmonisation, we are just saying integration of all collecting agencies, that on one platform, we can know what is happening in NIMASA, NPA, NCC, Customs, Federal Inland Revenue (Service)…We will make use of technology to know everything going on in realtime.”

“We are not collapsing. NNPC will be NNPC because it is limited, Federal Inland Revenue (Service) will be but the collection of all revenue will be technologically driven by data…Why there seems to be government within government is because of the law because there is no real law that specify what they should do.”