FCT-IRS Launches ‘Taxporta’, Sensitises MDAs on 2025 Tax Reforms

The Federal Capital Territory Internal Revenue Service (FCT-IRS) has launched Taxporta, a new digital tax management platform designed to simplify tax administration, improve compliance and enhance service delivery to taxpayers.

The platform was unveiled during a stakeholders’ engagement with Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) at the National Assembly Library Trust Fund Complex in Abuja, where the Service also sensitised government institutions on the implementation of Nigeria’s 2025 tax reforms.

Speaking at the event, the Executive Chairman of FCT-IRS, Michael Ango, said the engagement was aimed at promoting voluntary tax compliance, obtaining feedback from MDAs and preventing multiple taxation under the new tax regime.

He explained that Taxporta is an upgrade of the agency’s existing digital infrastructure and forms part of its broader digital transformation agenda.

According to Ango, the platform allows taxpayers to carry out virtually all tax-related transactions online without physically visiting FCT-IRS offices.

He said the end-to-end self-service portal enables users to register, file tax returns, calculate tax liabilities, make payments, generate receipts and obtain Tax Clearance Certificates (TCCs) without third-party assistance.

“Our digital agenda is about ensuring taxpayers can access our services from the comfort of their homes or offices without the need for physical interaction with the Service,” he said.

Ango added that the portal has been configured to reflect the provisions of the 2025 tax laws, automatically applying statutory allowances and calculating tax liabilities once taxpayers input their income.

He expressed optimism that the platform would improve tax administration and boost revenue generation for the FCT.

On tax enforcement, the FCT-IRS boss stressed that the Service would continue to prioritise voluntary compliance over punitive measures.

He noted that while penalties exist under the law, taxpayers with genuine reasons for non-compliance would be granted extensions where necessary.

“It is only when a taxpayer is deliberately refusing to comply that penalties become necessary,” he said.

Ango also highlighted the importance of internally generated revenue (IGR) to the development of the Federal Capital Territory, explaining that the FCT receives only one per cent of the Federal Government’s allocation from the Federation Account and therefore relies heavily on tax revenue to fund infrastructure and public services.

He said the engagement was also intended to strengthen collaboration between the FCT-IRS and MDAs to ensure a smooth transition to the upgraded tax platform.

In his remarks, Executive Secretary of the National Assembly Library Trust Fund, Henry Nwauna, described the engagement as a strategic initiative that would deepen collaboration, transparency and compliance among government institutions.

He said stronger cooperation between tax authorities and MDAs is essential to improving revenue generation and supporting sustainable national development.

Also speaking, the Tax Controller of the FCT-IRS MDA Tax Office, Fatima Abubakar, urged all MDAs and taxpayers to comply with the provisions of the Nigerian Tax Administration Act (NTAA) 2025 and other newly enacted tax laws.

She said the sensitisation covered tax registration, filing of returns, assessments and the issuance of Tax Clearance Certificates.

Abubakar explained that all taxable individuals, businesses and government institutions are required to obtain Taxpayer Identification Numbers (TINs), adding that the tax authority is empowered to automatically generate TINs using National Identification Numbers (NINs) where necessary.

She further stated that, under the new tax reforms, all benefits and allowances received by employees are taxable.

According to her, employers and taxpayers who fail to comply with filing requirements risk fines of ₦100,000 for incomplete tax returns in the first month and ₦50,000 for each subsequent month of default.

She also warned that MDAs awarding contracts must verify contractors’ Tax Clearance Certificates before awarding jobs or face a penalty of ₦5 million.

One of the participants, Mohammed Ali, Manager in charge of Tax at the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC), commended the FCT-IRS for organising the engagement.

He described the initiative as timely and beneficial, saying it would strengthen collaboration between taxpayers and the tax authority while promoting transparency and stakeholder confidence.