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The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has swiftly cleared the air over recent public commentary surrounding its Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with France’s Direction Générale des Finances Publiques (DGFiP), assuring Nigerians that the agreement is a strategic win for capacity building and national sovereignty, not a surrender of data or control. The clarification follows online discussions and a letter attributed to the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), which raised concerns about the implications of the MoU. While acknowledging the patriotic vigilance of citizens and stakeholders, FIRS stressed that several of the claims circulating in the public space are based on misconceptions.
According to the Service, the MoU is a standard, globally accepted cooperation framework designed strictly for technical knowledge exchange and institutional strengthening. It does not, in any form, grant France access to Nigerian taxpayers’ data, digital platforms, revenue systems, or operational infrastructure.
FIRS emphasized that all Nigerian laws on data protection, cybersecurity, and national sovereignty remain fully in force and are rigorously enforced. The Service noted that safeguarding taxpayer information is a core mandate and a top national security priority, a principle that will continue under the evolving Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS). Globally, similar MoUs are routinely signed by tax authorities to share expertise, improve efficiency, and adopt international best practices.
The DGFiP, FIRS noted, is one of the world’s most advanced tax administrations, boasting over a century of institutional experience in digital transformation, taxpayer services, public finance management, and governance.
“This partnership simply enables Nigeria to learn from that experience,” FIRS explained, adding that the arrangement is advisory, non-intrusive, and entirely under Nigeria’s control.
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The Service also debunked fears that the MoU sidelines local technology providers. FIRS reaffirmed its strong and ongoing collaboration with Nigerian fintech and technology innovators, including NIBSS, Interswitch, PayStack, and Flutterwave, stressing that the agreement does not involve the provision of technical services or the replacement of local solutions.
Instead, the MoU focuses on knowledge sharing, workforce development, institutional strengthening, policy support, and guidance on global best practices—key pillars for building a modern, efficient, and resilient tax system.
FIRS welcomed robust public engagement on tax reforms but urged that such conversations be anchored on the actual content and intent of policy decisions. Far from weakening Nigeria’s sovereignty, the Service said, the MoU reinforces it by equipping the country with the tools, skills, and insights needed to run a world-class tax administration firmly in command of its data, systems, and strategic direction.
Reaffirming its commitment to transparency and professionalism, FIRS said it will continue to pursue partnerships that accelerate Nigeria’s long-term economic development and strengthen public institutions for the benefit of all citizens.
