Explaining the reason for the drop in the PPT collection, the FIRS stated, “The main factor which accounted for the decrease recorded in November 2013 as against October was the downward review of estimates by Petroleum Sharing Contract and Modified Carry Agreements operators and Force Majure declared resulting in the shut-in of crude lifting by Nigeria Agip Oil Company and Phillip Oil.”

On CIT collections for the month of November, the FIRS document put the tax revenue at N64.65bn.

This, it noted, represented a decrease of N24.93bn when compared with the monthly budget of N89.58bn.

However, the October CIT collection was higher than the October 2013 performance of N52.42bn by N6.13bn or 11.69 per cent; adding that the increase was as a result of the receipt from Mobil and Chevron.

For VAT collection, the FIRS document said, “The total VAT collection for the month of November amounted to N91.73bn. When compared with the monthly budget of N78.77bn, it recorded an increase of N18.96bn.

“A further comparison with the collection of N66.35bn in October shows an increase of N25.38bn or 38.25 per cent. The performance was as a result of increase in the consumption of VAT-able products and services for the month under review.”

The FIRS had in December introduced the Integrated Tax Administration System Project as part of efforts aimed at optimising tax collection and improving the level of voluntary compliance among tax payers.

The project, according to the FIRS Acting Executive Chairman, Mr. Kabir Mashi, was conceived to assist the service in discharging its statutory function of assessing, collecting and accounting for taxes collected.

He said with the commencement of the ITAS, the journey of modernisation had begun as he noted that the automation of tax administration constituted a larger part of the transformation initiative of the FIRS.

“The objective of the implementation is, among others, to make compliance process easier for tax payers and ensure transparent and efficient tax system that optimises tax collection and voluntary compliance,” he stated.

For VAT collection, the FIRS document said, “The total VAT collection for the month of November amounted to N91.73bn. When compared with the monthly budget of N78.77bn, it recorded an increase of N18.96bn.

“A further comparison with the collection of N66.35bn in October shows an increase of N25.38bn or 38.25 per cent. The performance was as a result of increase in the consumption of VAT-able products and services for the month under review.”

The FIRS had in December introduced the Integrated Tax Administration System Project as part of efforts aimed at optimising tax collection and improving the level of voluntary compliance among tax payers.