The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has launched a new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to streamline tax services and eliminate inconsistencies across its 300+ offices nationwide.
With this initiative, FIRS aims to simplify and clarify tax processes, ensuring greater transparency and ease for Nigerian taxpayers.
Mr. Collins Omokaro, Special Adviser on Communications and Advocacy to the FIRS Executive Chairman, announced the rollout and emphasized its importance in enhancing the taxpayer experience. He pointed out that, previously, varying practices at different FIRS offices had created confusion for taxpayers.
“This reform focuses on people, experience, and impact,” Omokaro stated. “It marks progress toward a tax system that fosters voluntary compliance and supports national development.”
The new SOP standardizes key tax procedures such as registration, payment, audit, and enforcement—across all FIRS offices. This uniformity ensures fairness, consistency, and predictability in tax administration.
Dr. Zacch Adedeji, FIRS Executive Chairman, highlighted that the SOP goes beyond a mere rulebook. “This SOP represents who we are becoming as a service. It demonstrates our commitment to transparency and serving the Nigerian public,” he said.
By integrating digital tools with human systems, the SOP strengthens FIRS’s digital transformation efforts, enhancing both the speed and reliability of services. It also boosts internal efficiency by offering clearer guidelines and better training for staff.
Omokaro concluded by reinforcing the SOP’s mandate. “Every FIRS staff member must study it, apply it, and embody it. That’s how we’ll build trust with Nigerians.”
This reform marks a significant step in FIRS’s mission to become a service-oriented organization, driven by clarity, consistency, and national progress. Through the SOP, the agency aims to improve taxpayer services and rebuild public confidence in the tax system.
