FCT-IRS - NEWS AGENCY OF NIGERIA

Philip Daniel Yatai
Mar, Fri, 2025

FCT-IRS seals 3 business premises over unpaid taxes

231 total views today

By Nana Musa

The Federal Capital Territory Internal Revenue Services (FCT-IRS) on Friday, sealed the business premises of Phase3 Telecom and Cilantro Restaurant in Abuja, for failing to pay their tax obligations.

Mr Festus Tsavsar, acting Director, Legal Services, FCT-IRS, told journalists after the exercise in Abuja, that Phase3 Telecom, located at No 4, Yedseram Street, Maitama, was sealed over unpaid tax obligations.

Tsavsar, who is also the Head of the Enforcement Team, added two of Cilantro business premises were sealed for not filing its annual returns.

One of the premises is Cilantro Village, located inside Sarius Palmetum and Botanical Garden, Babangida Boulevard, Maitama, Abuja, while the other premises is located at Wuse Zone 5.

He explained that the action became necessary after several notices had been served on the defaulting taxpayers, but they refused to pay.

He said that Phase3 Telecom was owing the FCTA huge tax liabilities for three years

He added that the FCT-IRS had sent demand notices to the company several times, for more than three years, yet the company refused to pay.

“We invited them for a meeting, they came, wrote several undertakings but refused to pay the tax liabilities,” said.

For Cilantro, the director said that the company refused to file its tax returns for more than three years despite being served with several notices.

“We have written to them several times and they refused to file their returns; we invited them for a meeting, and they refused to honour the invitation,” he added.

Tsavsar said that to enforce compliance, the FCT-IRS had no choice other than to approach the court for a Court Order to seal off the business premises of defaulting taxpayers.

He assured the affected businesses that the premises would be unsealed once they settle all their tax obligations.

He said that the revenue services had carried out massive sensitisation campaigns, enlightening taxpayers about their tax obligation and encouraging them to pay voluntarily.

According to him, the revenue service will be going after every defaulting taxpayer and closed down business premises that refused to settle their tax obligation.

“We are, therefore, calling on tax defaulters to do the needful or risk the wrath of the law.”

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the FCT-IRS had given employers of labour Jan. 31 to file their employees’ annual returns for 2024.

The revenue service also gave individuals until the end of March to file their returns. (NAN)

Edited by Philip Yatai

Philip Daniel Yatai
Mar, Wed, 2025

Economy/Business

FCT-IRS urges FCT residents to file annual returns before March 31

203 total views today

By Nana Musa

The Federal Capital Territory Internal Revenue Service (FCT-IRS) has urged all residents in the territory to file their Annual Income Returns before March 31.

The Head, Corporate Communications, FCT-IRS, Mr Mustapha Sumaila, announced the deadline in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.

Sumaila said that filing annual returns of income from all sources was mandatory for all taxpayers, including those in employment (private and public sector), and public office holders.

He said that those in self-employment, including business owners and partnerships/enterprises, residents of the FCT for the preceding year, 2024, were also required to file the returns.

“The returns must be filed in the manner and within the time specified by law.

“The Personal Income Tax Act provides that a taxable person shall file a return of income in the prescribed form and containing the prescribed information with the tax authority.

“This is to be filed with a true and correct statement in writing containing the amount of income earned by the taxpayer from every source of the year preceding the year of assessment,” he said.

According to Sumaila, failure to file the returns by March 31 will result in FCT-IRS issuing a judgment assessment on all defaulters.

He said that they would be required to pay in line with the provisions of Section 54(3) of the Personal Income Tax Act.

Sumaila said that the Acting Executive Chairman of FCT-IRS, Mr Michael Ango, had been leading the campaign for voluntary tax compliance by all residents of the FCT. (NAN)

Edited by Kadiri Abdulrahman

Philip Daniel Yatai
Feb, Thu, 2025

Economy/Business

FCT-IRS to set up service kiosks in plazas, markets

213 total views today

By Nana Musa

The Federal Capital Territory Internal Revenue Service (FCT-IRS) has concluded plans to establish service kiosks in plazas and markets in Federal Capital City and the six area councils.

Mr Michael Ango, acting Executive Chairman, FCT-IRS, disclosed this in Abuja on Thursday, during the service’s annual sensitisation campaign to mobilise FCT residents for voluntary tax compliance.

Ango explained that the move was to bring services closer to the people and promote voluntary tax compliance.

“Apart from sensitisation to promote voluntary tax compliance, very soon you are going to see us setting up kiosk offices in the plazas and the markets, both within the city centre and in the area councils.

“The whole idea is that we need to reach out to taxpayers wherever they are,” he said.

He noted that one of the complaints of taxpayers was that they were not seeing what their taxes were being used for.

He, however, pointed out that that was not the case in FCT.

“I believe that wherever you stay in the FCT, you will see at least some presence of the FCT Administration within your area.

“This could be roads, streetlights or one form of construction or the other and a lot of work is still being done,” he said.

Ango added that the FCT-IRS has 16 tax offices spread out across the city, adding that the service would be expanding into some of the areas without offices.

He also said that the service was going to partner with the market associations, the informal sector and the area councils to boost IGR collection in the FCT.

He appealed for the support of the public on voluntary compliance, saying, “Abuja is a city that needs revenue for development”. (NAN)

Edited by Philip Yatai

Philip Daniel Yatai
Feb, Thu, 2025

Economy/Business

FCT-IRS collected N262bn in 2024, N43.8bn in January – Chairman

254 total views today

By Nana Musa

The Federal Capital Territory Internal Revenue Service (FCT-IRS) has collected N262 billion Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) in 2024.

Mr Michael Ango, acting Executive Chairman, FCT-IRS also said that the service had so far collected N43.8 billion in January.

Ango disclosed this on Thursday, during the service’s annual sensitisation campaign to mobilise FCT residents for voluntary tax compliance.

He explained that at the end of 2024, the FCT-IRS had collected a total of N262 billion, representing N12 billion more than the N250 billion targeted for the year.

While the performance was impressive, the executive chairman expressed confidence that 2025 would be better, adding that the service has commenced the year very strongly.

“In the month of January, we collected N43.8 billion and so far, in the month of February, we are also on track.

“The reality about the collection is that these monies are not manufactured, they are paid by taxpayers and residents of this town,” he said.

He identified some of the taxes being collected by the FCT-IRS as personal income tax, capital gains taxes, stamp duties, property taxes, entertainment tax and fees due to the FCT.

He also said that the FCT-IRS works for the entire FCT, explaining that it collects revenue for the FCT Administration for the area councils; for the FCT Secretariats, its departments and agencies.

He added that in doing this, the service was collaborating very strongly with all sister agencies, both at the federal and the FCT level.

“We have been reaching out to various agencies and what we are hoping to do is to create a revenue ecosystem whereby everybody believes that they are partners and stakeholders in raising revenues for the FCT,” he said. (NAN)

Edited by Philip Yatai

Philip Daniel Yatai
Jan, Wed, 2025

Economy/Business

FCT Internal Revenue Service partners EFCC to enhance tax compliance

308 total views today

By Philip Yatai

The Federal Capital Territory Internal Revenue Service (FCT-IRS) has sought collaboration with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to enhance tax compliance in the territory.

The acting Executive Chairman of the Service, Mr Michael Ango, solicited for the partnership when he visited Executive Chairman of the EFCC, Mr Olanipekun Olukoyede, in Abuja on Wednesday.

Ango explained that the partnership was in line with the mandate of the FCT-IRS to collaborate with relevant agencies such as the EFCC towards improving tax compliance in the FCT.

He disclosed that one of the major initiatives of the FCT-IRS in 2025 was the harmonisation of revenue collection and administration in the FCT.

This, he said, would not be achieved without the support and collaboration of all stakeholders including anti-graft agencies.

“This is to ensure that all revenue due to the FCT is collected and accounted for in a transparent manner, enhance ease of doing business and improve revenue generation.

“This will further consolidate the massive infrastructural development in the territory by FCT Minister Nyesom Wike,” he said.

He argued that most suspects being investigated by EFCC for financial crimes were not tax compliant.

Ango added that it would be helpful if the suspects’ tax obligations would also be interrogated as part of EFCC’s investigation processes.

According to him, this approach can also be extended to forfeiture of assets or monies of suspects to the EFCC by the courts.

“When suspects are being investigated or charged to court, we will like to know, Mr Chairman, their tax compliance level.

“If they escape from one door, we can catch them through another door. We will, therefore, be happy to partner with you on this, like we are doing with your sister agency, the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU),” he suggested.

The FCT-IRS boss condoled with the EFCC on the recent loss of its operative.

He also commended the commission’s chairman and his management team for the excellent work they are doing to tackle financial crimes in the country.

In his remarks, the EFCC boss thanked Ango and his team for the visit and expressed the commission’s willingness to partner with the FCT-IRS to improve revenue collection in the FCT.

Olukoyede said the commission had entered into similar partnerships with the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and other State Internal Revenue Services.

He expressed the commission’s readiness to extend the same gesture to the FCT-IRS.

According to him, the move will enable the FCT-IRS to shore up its revenue collections.

He, however, stressed the need for a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to highlight the specific areas of collaboration, pointing out that MoU would further strengthen the relationship between the two organisations.

The EFCC chairman, who said he has been keeping tabs on Ango’s achievements since appointment as the FCT-IRS boss, also lauded the ongoing massive infrastructural development in the FCT.

“This shows that taxpayer’s money is being judiciously used across the territory for the benefits of all,” he said. (NAN)

Edited by Muhammad Lawal

Philip Daniel Yatai
Dec, Fri, 2024

Economy/Business

FCT-IRS collects N252.83bn IGR in 2024

441 total views today

By Philip Yatai

The Federal Capital Territory Internal Revenue Service (FCT-IRS), has collected a total of N252.83 billion Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) in 2024.

The acting Executive Chairman of the service, Mr Michael Ango, made this known at the 2024 end of year media parley, in Abuja on Thursday.

Ango said that the amount, collected between January and Dec. 18, represents 101 per cent of the N250.2 billion target for the year.

He added that the figure also represents a 19.8 per cent increase on the N211.1 billion collected in 2023.

He attributed the successes to the dedication of members of staff and management staffers of the service, FCT Secretariat, Departments and Agencies, FCT area councils and other government agencies.

He also commended the support of the Senate and House Committees on FCT

The FCT-IRS boss said that since his appointment in August 2023, he had taken certain steps to improve the ability of the service to discharge its mandate.

According to him, one of the changes is the review and expansion of the organisation’s structure, with the creation of new departments.

He identified the department as Audit, Debt Management and Enforcement, as well as the expansion of the Tax Operations Department by taxpayer type.

This, he said, led to the creation of two new directorates, one of which focused on government’s Ministries, Departments and Agencies, corporate entities and international organisations.

Ango added that the other directorate focused on individuals and enterprises and partnerships.

“We also created a separate Learning and Development Department, which focuses on capacity building and training of our employees and other stakeholders.

“We created a High Net-worth Individuals Unit, focused on taxation of HNIs in Abuja.

“FCT-IRS has further strengthened its collaboration with the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit to get active intelligence on HNIs in Abuja with a view to improving tax compliance and collection,” he said.

“In terms of external collaboration, we have also strengthened collaboration with the Federal Inland Revenue Service, Joint Tax Board and the FCT Judiciary, amongst others.

“This is to enhance our ability to collect revenue for the FCT,” he said. (NAN)

Edited by Rotimi Ijikanmi