By Matthew Don
The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has introduced six key electronic solutions (e-Services) to enhance convenience, transparency and round the clock processing and payment of taxes.
Some of the e-Services, which could now be accessed online, are taxpayer registration (through e-Registration); payment of Stamp Duties (through e-Stamp Duty); payment of taxes (through online payment: e-TaxPay, Remita); receiving of electronic receipt after payment of taxes (through e-Receipt); filing tax returns online (through e-filing) and online Tax Clearance Certificates (TCC) through electronic Tax Clearance Certificate (e-TCC solution).
The FIRS Executive Chairman, Tunde Fowler, who explained this in Abuja, said the e-Services innovation represents “a revolution in tax administration in Nigeria”.
“The idea behind the six ICT solutions is to make tax payment as easy as ABC, to bring convenience to our taxpayers. The ICT solutions which we are bringing to the doorsteps of taxpayers will ensure that taxpayers could pay, get receipt, and get TCC, from the comfort of their homes and offices anytime, anywhere in the world and round the clock. This saves the time of taxpayers, is transparent, fast, easy to use and convenient,” Fowler said.
The implication of e- Receipt, for example, is that when tax payments are made, an electronic notification will be automatically sent to the taxpayer’s email and or phone number within 24 hours after payment. If for any reason a taxpayer loses the print out, they can access FIRS e-Receipt platform by log in into the FIRS website and download their receipt. This process eliminates manual interventions.
The e-TCC provides an e-repository of all Tax Clearance Certificates (TCCs) issued by FIRS. It enables FIRS Staff and authorised third parties to obtain their TCC online without visiting a tax office. E-TCC reduces incidence of fraudulent certificates. E-TCCs are automatically sent to the emails of taxpayers. Taxpayers can also request for and print their TCCs online.
Although hard copies will still be available for collection, a system generated TCC is as tenable as the hard copy. The aim of this process is to ensure that taxpayers do not suffer unduly where there is need for urgent tendering of the TCC.
The system allow for TCC validation so that a TCC could be verified by third parties online using the TCC number. Restricted TCCs could also be generated online for temporary use where there is an unresolved dispute. This will ensure that the taxpayer does not suffer unduly.
To do business with FIRS, one needs to be duly registered. Now, you could get registered and authenticated online by visiting the FIRS website www.firs.gov.ng and taking the following steps: Long in and proceed to the e-Services tab; Click on the log-in or register tab and input your Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) or RC Number; Choose a user-name and password upon successful registration; Click on Register and a PIN will be sent to your email for authentication to complete the process.
Newly incorporated businesses are to go to: www.cac.gov.ng and follow the end to end process which includes payment of Stamp Duties to complete your incorporation process.
Under the new e-Stamp Duty from the FIRS, stamping could be done from the comfort of your home or office. In the past, it required a physical stamp. For a dutiable instruments, the process is as follows: Log on to www.firs.gov.ng; Click on the e-Services; Click on e-Stamp Duty; Log in or sign-up; Obtain your credentials (username, password) through your mail; Choose a username or password upon successful registration; Log in and select the relevant Stamp Duty instrument; Fill in the form and pay online through the Integrated Payment Gateway; A link to download your e-Stamp Duty certificate will be automatically sent to your mail.
Stamp Duty is a tax levied on documents such as receipts, land transactions and other legal documents.
One of the solutions: e-filing will ensure that taxpayers do not need to visit an FIRS office to file their tax returns. Like others taxpayers trying to access other online solutions of the FIRS, they can now file online by going to e-Services on the FIRS website: www.firs.gov.ng
Fowler said that the introduction of the new solutions is one of the key steps to make FIRS services convenient, easy and available everywhere and at all times. “It is a revolution in tax administration that combines innovation, convenience and transparency”, the FIRS Chairman said.