The Federal Inland Revenue Service has pledged to strengthen tax policy formulation and capacity-building initiatives, not just within Nigeria but across the entire West African region.
The Executive Chairman of FIRS, Dr Zacch Adedeji, made this commitment at the West Africa Tax Administration Forum Country Correspondents Conference/Training for Heads of Corporate Communications Functions and the 20th WATAF Council Meeting held in Abuja on Tuesday.
Speaking at the event, Adedeji emphasised the crucial role of tax policy in driving sustainable economic growth and the need for countries in the region to enhance domestic resource mobilisation.
“The role of effective communication in tax administration cannot be overstated,” he said while addressing participants, including Country Correspondents and Heads of Corporate Communications from various tax institutions across West Africa.
“As Country Correspondents and Heads of Corporate Communications, you are the frontline ambassadors of our tax institutions, responsible for shaping narratives, clarifying policies, and fostering voluntary compliance,” he added.
Adedeji encouraged participants to take full advantage of the platform to exchange ideas, strengthen professional ties, and adopt best practices that could enhance tax administration in their respective countries.
He urged them to engage actively in discussions, leverage networking opportunities, and apply the insights gained to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of tax systems across the region.
Reflecting on Nigeria’s long-standing role in promoting regional tax cooperation, the FIRS chairman noted that the country had consistently played a leading role in supporting tax collaboration across West Africa.
He said Nigeria had been a key contributor to the growth of WATAF through technical assistance and capacity-building programmes for member countries.
“Historically, Nigeria has always been at the forefront of promoting international tax cooperation and has been a key contributor to the development of the West African Tax Administration Forum, providing technical assistance and capacity-building programmes to member countries,” he said.
He further stressed that collaboration and knowledge-sharing were essential for tax administration success in the region, noting that no country could effectively tackle emerging challenges in tax administration alone.
“Our country has also been at the forefront of promoting regional cooperation in tax administration, recognising the importance of collaboration in addressing common challenges,” he added.
Also speaking at the event, from the Inter-American Centre of Tax Administrations, Mr Gonzalo Aruas, described effective tax communication as critical to efficient tax administration.
“Tax communication is a very important topic. At CIAT, we recognise that a good job requires effective communication,” he said. Aruas also emphasised the need for coordination and networking across regions to improve tax administration.
“Coordination and networking are also very important for effective tax administration,” he added.
