By Sani Idris Abdulrahman

The Kaduna State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to increasing internally generated revenue (IGR) through improved tax compliance, a broader tax base, digital integration and better taxpayer services.

The position was made on Thursday in Kaduna at the 2026 third-quarter stakeholders’ engagement meeting of the Kaduna State Internal Revenue Service (KADIRS).

The meeting, themed “Transparent Taxation, Better Services, Building Our State Together,” focused on leveraging the Nigeria Tax Act, 2025, and the Nigeria Tax Administration Act, 2025, to improve revenue generation, taxpayer experience and data compliance in Kaduna State.

The Kaduna State Commissioner of Finance, Alhaji Ibrahim Muhammad, said the tax reforms, which took effect on January 1, 2026, were intended to address inefficiencies, broaden the revenue base and strengthen public confidence in the tax system.

He explained that increasing revenue was necessary to enable the government to provide essential services, noting that federal allocations alone were insufficient to meet the state’s needs.

“Increasing revenue will enable us to do whatever the society requires to do for them. The federal government allocation is not enough for us to execute necessary services at the State level,”he said.

He said the government’s approach was to widen the tax net and bring more eligible taxpayers into the system rather than rely solely on increasing the burden on existing taxpayers.

“It’s not necessarily increasing the debt for the taxpayers but widening the net to ensure that more people pay tax,” he said.

The commissioner identified accurate taxpayer registration, improved assessment and collection, reliable data management and support for economic growth as priorities for implementing the reforms in Kaduna State.

He urged KADIRS to strengthen taxpayer identification, promote electronic filing and payment, reconcile revenue records and work with relevant ministries, departments and agencies to identify compliance gaps.

He also stressed the need to communicate applicable tax reliefs and exemptions, particularly to eligible low-income earners and small businesses, while ensuring that taxpayers understand their statutory obligations.

The commissioner further called for simpler registration and filing processes, accessible tax information, effective complaint resolution and fair enforcement.

He further emphasised that taxpayer information must be accurate, current and adequately protected, adding that information sharing should respect privacy, confidentiality and due process.

He urged KADIRS management and staff to demonstrate professionalism and integrity, while encouraging businesses, professional bodies, market associations and informal-sector leaders to support public awareness and compliance with the new tax framework.

Earlier, the Acting Executive Chairman of KADIRS, Dr. Mohammed Lawal, described the stakeholder engagement as an important part of the service’s tax administration efforts.

He said the quarterly meetings provide opportunities for taxpayers, businesses, media organisations, government agencies and other stakeholders to discuss challenges and suggest improvements.

He highlighted automation, taxpayer sensitisation, improved compliance procedures and grievance resolution as key areas of the service’s work.

According to him, KADIRS has established a standing committee to address taxpayer complaints and introduced channels through which grievances can be submitted. He also described the service’s voice-interactive grievance system as an innovation in taxpayer support.

Explaining how stakeholder feedback informs the service’s work, he said KADIRS reviews concerns raised during the meetings and makes adjustments where necessary.

“We take note, we go back, we look at the feedbacks that we are getting. Where we feel it’s necessary for us to make amends and improvements, we do that and go for the next stakeholders engagement after having implemented these resolutions,” he said.

He emphasised that KADIRS was responsible for domestic revenue mobilisation in Kaduna State.

“Our responsibilities are clear; we are the domestic revenue mobilisation agency of the state,” he said.

The State’s Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, James Kanyip, stressed the importance of the rule of law, institutional cooperation and due process in implementing the tax reforms.

He commended KADIRS for maintaining engagement with taxpayers and government institutions, describing cooperation among stakeholders as important to building public trust and improving revenue administration.

He said successful implementation of the new tax framework required public awareness, coordination among institutions, reliable taxpayer data and adherence to applicable laws.

The Attorney General also highlighted the role of the judiciary in interpreting tax legislation, protecting taxpayers’ rights, upholding the lawful powers of revenue authorities and resolving disputes in accordance with due process.

Addressing the relationship between state and local government revenue collection, he referred to constitutional provisions concerning the administration and collection of specified taxes, fees and rates by local government councils.

He argued that the provisions, alongside applicable Kaduna state legislation, supported the state’s authority to assign KADIRS responsibility for collecting specified revenues on behalf of local government councils.

He urged taxpayers to understand their obligations, provide accurate information and comply with applicable filing and payment requirements, while using lawful channels to challenge disputed assessments.

He also distinguished between tax avoidance and tax evasion, describing avoidance as the lawful use of available provisions to minimise tax liabilities and evasion as illegal conduct that may involve concealing income or falsifying information.

The Attorney General encouraged local government councils, businesses and other stakeholders to cooperate with KADIRS through appropriate information sharing while respecting confidentiality, privacy and data protection requirements.

He also called for simpler compliance procedures, stronger taxpayer education, accurate record-keeping and a clear legal basis for assessment and enforcement.

Earlier, KADIRS Executive Director, Standards and Compliance, Alhaji Ali Gora, said sustainable revenue growth required more than increasing collections.

He emphasised the importance of consistent standards, effective monitoring, professional conduct and fair treatment of taxpayers.

He called for the use of technology and reliable taxpayer information to identify compliance gaps, improve revenue forecasting and strengthen accountability.

Gora added that taxation should be viewed as a partnership between government and citizens rather than merely a revenue collection exercisent and effective complaint resolution in improving voluntary compliance and confidence in tax administration.

He also underscored the need for cooperation between KADIRS and stakeholders to support transparent revenue mobilisation and the delivery of public services in Kaduna state.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that highpoints of the event included a panel discussion and interactive sessions with stakeholders expressing their complaints, seeking clarifications from the authority.(NAN)