From Adanna Nnamani, Abuja
The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has called on media practitioners to partner with the agency in enhancing taxpayer engagement and public perception of taxation in Nigeria.
Dr. Loveth Ononuga, Director of the Taxpayer Services Department at FIRS, made the appeal during a Radio Service Providers Sensitization Programme organised by the Service.
Delivering a paper themed “Enhancing Taxpayer Service Engagement through Media,” Ononuga said that the media plays a strategic role in bridging the gap between tax authorities and the public.
She described the media not just as a conduit for information, but as a powerful tool for shaping perception, promoting compliance, and fostering national development.
According to her, “The media is not just a channel of information, it is a path for shaping perception, driving behaviour, and inspiring national duty. You are not just presenters or producers. You are narrators of the national tax story.”
Ononuga acknowledged the deep-seated public mistrust and misconceptions surrounding taxation, noting that many Nigerians view taxes with skepticism, misinformation, and resistance.
She challenged the media to change this narrative by providing clear, consistent, and relatable tax information that connects taxation with tangible national benefits.
Responding to public concerns about visible impacts of tax revenue, she noted that tax funds are already being used for infrastructure and services across the country. Citing examples such as roads, hospitals, the military, and education (including TETFund projects), she encouraged the media to amplify such evidence.
“Many of these projects are funded by tax revenue, but citizens are not always aware. Visibility is lacking, not impact,” she said, noting that 85% of Value Added Tax (VAT) collected by FIRS is allocated to state and local governments.
She added that the agency is working on producing educational content that traces how tax revenue is used, which will soon be shared with media partners and made available on the FIRS website.
She further highlighted the FIRS “Tax File” programme, a platform developed to regularly communicate updates and educate taxpayers.
She said the department had also segmented taxpayers into large, medium, and small brackets to tailor communications and improve compliance, supported by tax data analytics.
Speaking on the technical aspects of tax reportage for public engagement, Mr. Olaolu Makinde, Head of the Technical Office, advised companies to present clear and credible documentation to support their tax claims during audits and investigations, stressing that tax assessment is based not only on legal provisions but also on verifiable evidence.
Makinde explained that the Service now has access to vast financial data, especially through bank records, which enables it to independently determine the turnover of businesses, even when such information is not voluntarily disclosed.
He urged businesses and their representatives to prioritize transparency and accountability, noting that cooperation with auditors and timely submission of documents can help reduce disputes and ensure fair assessments
“We do not go after companies with the intent of shutting them down, but when we conduct tax audits, we often find that businesses underreport their income while inflating expenses to reduce their tax liability. What many taxpayers may not know is that we have access to backend data, including bank statements, which allow us to estimate a company’s actual turnover,” he said.