FIRS deepens tax clarity drive with Emerging Taxpayers’ Clinic in Lagos
The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has expanded its nationwide tax awareness campaign with the successful hosting of the 2025 Emerging Taxpayers’ Group (ETG) Tax Clinic in Lagos. The event, themed “Tax Clinic for Tax Clarity,” brought together hundreds of small business owners, entrepreneurs, and informal sector participants at Marcellina’s Place, offering direct support on tax compliance and administration.
In his opening address, FIRS Executive Chairman, Zacch Adedeji, reiterated the Service’s commitment to proactive taxpayer engagement, noting that fostering understanding is key to sustainable compliance.
“When citizens clearly grasp their tax obligations, rights, and the value of their contributions to national development, compliance is no longer a burden it becomes a civic responsibility,” Adedeji said. “That is why we are moving from enforcement to enlightenment.”
The Lagos clinic is part of FIRS’s broader reform strategy, which includes digital innovations like the TaxPro-Max platform and taxpayer segmentation tools, aimed at building a more inclusive and people-centred tax system.
Throughout the event, participants engaged in expert-led sessions on tax administration, compliance barriers, record-keeping best practices, and dispute resolution mechanisms.
Key speakers included Segun Kadiri, Director General of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN); Azeez Alatoye of Ascension Professional Services; and Professor Bolaji Owasanoye, who addressed the legal frameworks guiding tax dispute resolution and the importance of trust-building between the tax authority and taxpayers.
A highlight of the clinic was the hands-on advisory desks, where attendees received on-the-spot assistance from FIRS personnel and other institutions. Dedicated support teams from the Taxpayer Service Department, TaxPro-Max unit, Lagos State Internal Revenue Service (LIRS), Joint Tax Board (JTB), Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), and National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) were on ground to help participants resolve tax filing issues, navigate digital platforms, and obtain National Identification Numbers (NINs) essential for tax compliance.
FIRS Chairman Adedeji thanked the ETG Coordinating Director, Dr. Kabir Abba, and partner organisations including the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN), Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN), Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC), and Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), for their collaboration.
He urged taxpayers to take full advantage of the support structures provided, saying, “Your active involvement is vital not only to your own success but to the progress of our nation.”
The ETG Tax Clinic concluded with participants better equipped to navigate Nigeria’s evolving tax system, reinforcing FIRS’s mission to build a transparent, responsive, and inclusive revenue framework.