₦airaland Forum

The Federal Inland Revenue Service has announced that the National Identification Number issued by the National Identity Management Commission has automatically become the Tax Identification Number for individual Nigerians.

The clarification was made in a public awareness campaign on the new tax laws shared by the Service on X on Monday.

According to the FIRS, registered businesses will also no longer require a separate Tax ID, as their Corporate Affairs Commission registration number will now serve as their official tax identifier under the new tax system.

The announcement comes amid public concerns over provisions in the new tax laws that require a Tax ID for certain transactions, including the ownership of bank accounts.

Explaining the policy, the FIRS said the Nigeria Tax Administration Act, which is scheduled to take effect from January 2026, mandates the use of a Tax ID for specific transactions. However, it stressed that the requirement is not new, noting that it has existed since the Finance Act of 2019 and has only been strengthened under the NTAA.

“The Tax ID unifies all Tax Identification Numbers previously issued by the FIRS and State Internal Revenue Services into a single identifier,” the Service said.

“For individuals, your NIN automatically serves as your Tax ID, while for registered companies, your CAC RC number is used. You do not need a physical card, as the Tax ID is a unique number linked directly to your identity.”

The FIRS added that the new system is designed to simplify identification, reduce duplication, close loopholes for tax evasion, and promote fairness by ensuring that everyone who earns taxable income contributes appropriately.

The Service urged the public to disregard misinformation surrounding the reform and assured Nigerians that the new tax framework is aimed at improving efficiency and transparency in tax administration.

PUNCH Online had reported that the Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, Taiwo Oyedele, said that banks will be required to request a TIN from all taxable Nigerians as part of the federal government’s new tax administration framework set to take effect on January 1, 2026.

The Ogun State High Court sitting in Ijebu-Ode on Monday refused to grant popular Fuji musician Wasiu Ayinde, alias KWAM1, an interim injunction aimed at restraining Governor Dapo Abiodun and five others from proceeding with the selection and installation of the next Awujale of Ijebuland.

Ayinde, represented in court by Wahab Shittu (SAN), had sought the injunction pending the hearing of his substantive suit challenging the selection process.

But Justice A. A. Omoniyi dismissed the application, holding that the interim injunction lacked merit and that there were no strong grounds to justify its grant.

He subsequently ordered the expedited hearing of the substantive matter, fixing 14 January 2026 for proceedings.

KWAM1 had declared his interest in the vacant Awujale stool, claiming lineage from the Jadiara Royal House of the wider Fusengbuwa Ruling House.

However, the Fusengbuwa ruling house rejected his claim, stating that he is not from the royal house.

To challenge what he perceived as injustice, Ayinde filed a suit against the Fusengbuwa ruling house, Governor Abiodun, the Chairman of Ijebu-Ode Local Government, Dare Alebiosu, and three others.

The other respondents include the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Ganiyu Hamzat; Secretary of Ijebu-Ode Local Government, Oke Adebanjo; and the Chairman of the Awujale Interregnum Administrative Council, Dr Olorogun Sunny Kuku.

The suit, HC3/238/2025, was filed ex parte, citing Order 38 Rules 4 and Order 39 Rule 1 of the High Court of Ogun State (Civil Procedure) Rules 2024, Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution, and the court’s inherent jurisdiction

A copy of the court document dated 16 December 2025 was obtained by our correspondent.

Ayinde urged the court to restrain all respondents from further action on the Awujale selection process to protect his interest and preserve the res from being dissipated or interfered with.

He prayed the court to restrain the respondents, “their agents, or anyone acting on their behalf, from taking any steps in the installation process of the next Awujale of Ijebuland pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.”

The musician said he is an aspirant to the Awujale stool, “and the injunction is necessary to secure his interest and preserve the res from being dissipated or interfered with by the respondents.”

With the interim injunction denied, attention now turns to the substantive hearing scheduled for 14 January 2026, which will determine the fate of KWAM1’s claim to the Awujale stool.

The Federal Government has approved the introduction of mandatory pre-employment drug testing for prospective applicants into the Public Service.

A statement on Monday by the Director of Information and Public Relations, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Segun Imohiosen, said the approval is part of efforts to address the growing problem of illicit drug use and its impact on national development and security.

He said Permanent Secretaries and Heads of Extra-Ministerial Departments and Parastatals have been directed to make drug testing a core requirement in the recruitment of new personnel.

The statement partly read, “The Federal Government has approved the introduction of mandatory pre-employment drug testing as a requirement for prospective applicants into the Public Service, as part of ongoing efforts to curb the rising menace of illicit drug use and its attendant consequences on national development and security.

“Consequently, Permanent Secretaries and Heads of Extra-Ministerial Departments/Parastatals are hereby directed to include mandatory drug testing as a core requirement in the recruitment of new personnel.”

Imohiosen added that Ministries, Departments, and Agencies have also been directed to collaborate with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency in conducting the tests in line with established standards and procedures.

“The directive, which was contained in a service-wide circular from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation to Ministries, Departments, and Agencies, including extra-ministerial departments, is in line with the determination of the present administration to decisively tackle the menace of drug and substance abuse and insulate the national workforce from unwholesome practices,” he said.

He noted that the policy was informed by concerns over the rising rate of drug and substance abuse, particularly among youths.

“The directive on the introduction of mandatory pre-employment drug testing for prospective applicants is premised on the concern raised by the Federal Government over the alarming rate of drug and substance abuse, especially among the teeming youth in the country, with far-reaching implications for public health, socio-economic development, workplace productivity, and national security,” the statement added.

This initiative builds on a series of anti-drug measures introduced in 2025.

In November, the Nigeria Customs Service mandated drug testing for all incoming recruits and serving officers to enhance discipline and border security.

Additionally, a July directive approved university-wide drug screening, signaling a nationwide push to address substance abuse.