FIRS Hands off Tax Collection in Abuja

• FIRS Hands off Tax Collection in Abuja

The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has ceased to be the collecting agency for taxes and levies in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), paving the way for the FCT Inland Revenue Service (FCT-IRS) to assume the duties.

A joint statement on tax collection in the FCT, signed by the Executive Chairmen, FIRS and the FCT-IRS, Tunde Fowler and Abdullahi O. Attah, respectively, in Abuja yesterday, said these changes are with immediate effect.

According to the statement, “The FCT-IRS shall henceforth administer the following taxes and levies in the FCT: Personal Income Tax (PIT); Pay As You Earn (PAYE) in respect of all individuals resident in the FCT under employment in both the public and private sectors; Direct Assessment in respect of all self-employed individuals and enterprises resident in the FCT.”

Other taxes to be collected also by the FCT-IRS are the FCT Property Tax; Stamp Duties (SD), Withholding Taxes (WHT), and Capital Gains Tax (CGT) in respect of all individuals and enterprises resident in the FCT. Others include all other taxes and levies the FCT-IRS is empowered to collect by law.

The statement said these taxes shall be collected through approved collecting banks and other electronic payment platforms and channels and paid into the FCT Internal Revenue Service Account with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

The statement however noted that all PAYE deductions of the armed forces, police personnel and staff of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall continue to be collected by the FIRS and subsequently remitted to the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the federal government.

It added also that Tax Clearance Certificate (TCC), for taxes hitherto paid to FIRS, shall henceforth be issued by FCT-IRS subject to confirmation of payment.

It enjoined all taxpayers to comply with the changes with immediate effect.