The Executive Chairman of the Lagos State Internal Revenue Service (LIRS), Dr Ayodele Subair, has said the remarkable growth of tax administration and internally generated revenue in Lagos State can be traced to the bold reforms initiated by President Bola Tinubu during his tenure as governor of the state.

Subair stated this at the Gala night organised to close the 159th meeting of the Joint Revenue Board (JRB) held in Lagos, where tax administrators and revenue stakeholders from across the country gathered for four days to deliberate on ways to strengthen tax systems, improve compliance, and deepen revenue generation nationwide.

According to him, the decision by Tinubu to grant operational autonomy to the Lagos State Internal Revenue Service years ago laid the foundation for the success story that has since become a model for several states in Nigeria.

He said: “This story of taxation in Lagos was started seriously by our present President, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, who deemed it fit to give autonomy to the Lagos State Internal Revenue Service.

“From then on, things changed. Things are still evolving and changing because he handed over the baton to very serious governors thereafter. “His model is copied in most of the states in Nigeria. I think the President deserves applause. We are seeing the benefits of that vision that this great Nigerian had, and we all pledge to continue.”

Subair noted that Lagos had sustained the momentum through successive administrations, with visible investments in transportation, urban renewal, and other public infrastructure funded largely through taxes paid by residents.

The LIRS chief also commended Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for delivering robust infrastructure development. He noted that in addition to significant investments in education, health, housing, and urban renewal projects, the multimodal transportation system, which includes rail, road, and water transport, is a key part of the current administration’s legacy