By Babajide Komolafe
The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has refuted recent allegations concerning the appointment of Xpress Payments as part of the national revenue collection system, describing the claims as inaccurate and capable of politicising a strictly administrative process.
In a statement, signed by Arabinrin Aderonke Atoyebi, Technical Assistant on Broadcast Media to the Executive Chairman of FIRS, in response to commen by former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, the agency stressed that it does not operate any exclusive or single-gateway arrangement for tax collection. It also clarified that no private company has been granted monopoly rights over government revenues.
The FIRS explained that it currently operates a multi-channel, multi–Payment Solution Service Provider (PSSP) framework that includes long-established platforms such as Quickteller, Remita, Etranzact, Flutterwave, and XpressPay. This expanded and competitive ecosystem, it said, is designed to make tax payments more convenient and efficient for Nigerians.
The service further emphasised that PSSPs are not collection agents and do not earn processing fees or a percentage of government revenues. All funds paid through these channels, it noted, go directly into the Federation Account without diversion or private custody.
According to the FIRS, the multi-channel model promotes efficiency, improves monitoring and reporting, and supports innovation, competition, and job creation in the country’s financial technology sector. It added that onboarding of PSSPs follows a transparent and verifiable process to ensure fairness.
The agency also highlighted ongoing national tax reforms driven by the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, describing them as essential to Nigeria’s economic modernisation and grounded in transparency and efficiency. These reforms, it said, should not be drawn into partisan disputes.
The FIRS urged political actors to avoid misrepresenting routine administrative procedures, stressing that Nigeria’s tax administration system is too critical to be subjected to misinformation or unnecessary controversy.
Source; Vanguard News