To ensure the effective tax administration across the country, tax managers from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are scheduled to meet in Abuja on April 19, this year, with technology experts and other stakeholders on ways to drive the digitalisation of the nation’s tax system.

The one-day a hybrid event – planned for physical and virtual participation (via zoom) – scheduled for between 9am to 5pm, is an initiative of the Nigeria Governors ‘Forum (NGF) intended as a measure to further reform the tax system for effectiveness to ensure optimum revenue mobilisation in the country.

According to a statement by the NGF secretariat in Abuja, the summit will “bring together service providers, researchers, and tax authorities from the 36 states and the FCT to share lessons critical for driving tax digitalisation in Nigeria’’.

“Lessons will focus on practical in-country and international experiences that have worked. The session will close with a consensus of actions to take forward, with the support of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum Secretariat, the World Bank and the International Centre for Tax and Development (ICTD).”
“The long-term goal of the event is to support the scale up of modern, taxpayer-friendly and technology-driven revenue administrations in all States of the federation that will be capable of providing world-class services, characterized by efficient, paperless operations, and equipped with ICT-enabled risk-based enforcement to optimize revenue mobilization in the country.”

Speakers include Shubham Chaudhuri, World Bank Country Director, Nigeria, Western and Central Africa Region; Tijjani Mohammed, Deputy Director for Policy and Advocacy, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation; Muhammad Nami, Executive Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service; Rajul Awasthi, Senior Public Sector Specialist, World Bank Nigeria; Fabrizio Santoro, Postdoctoral Fellow, International Centre for Tax and Development (ICTD) and Annemarie Groenewald, Head, ERP Revenue Stream, City of Cape Town.

By the schedule of events, Awasthi is expected to provide perspective on the rise of digitalization and how the Nigerian tax system (both tax policy and administration) is leveling up relative to comparable jurisdictions.

Santoro will be speaking on technology and digitised data in tax administration in relation to experiences from sub-Saharan Africa; while Groenewald is expected to provide participants with experience, from Cape Town, of practical insights on the digital transformation journey – include perspectives on e- services, payment services and utilities.

Also scheduled to make presentations are Soobhash Sonah, Director, Information Systems Department, Mauritius Revenue Authority; Engr. Adeoye Fadebiyi, Managing Director, Eko Electricity Distribution Company, and Dennis S. Chinseu, Director of Commerce, Trade and Industry, Blantyre City Council, Malawi.