Interswitch, FIRS Partner To Unveil TaxPro-Max To Maximize Tax Revenue For National Development
L-R: Group Head, Growth Marketing – Merchants & Ecosystem, Interswitch, Olawale Akanbi; Assistant Director, Tax Controller, FIRS, Bar beach, Omonike Maiyaki; Immediate Past President, CITN, Dame Olajumoke Simplice; Assistant Director, Tax Controller, Alaba, FIRS, Cecilia Odibo; Group Head, Government, Interswitch, Osasere Atohengbe; Deputy Director, Tax-Tax Controller, Oil & Gas Services, Ikoyi, FIRS, Bayo Oriyomi; and manager, Taxpayers Service Department, Abuja, Wisdom Oshadare at the recently concluded Tax Sensitization program held in Lagos.
In a bid to ensure a simplified and integrated tax remittance system, the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) in partnership with the Interswitch has unveiled the FIRS TaxPro-Max to maximize tax revenue in Nigeria for national development.
FIRS TaxPro-Max is a tax administration solution for ease of tax compliance powered by the Interswitch collection solutions (Paydirect).
Speaking during the launch of the FIRS TaxPro-Max and the FIRS Taxpayers Sensitization workshop In Lagos with the theme “Sustainable Tax Management: Exploring Digital Remittance,” the Director, Taxpayers Service Department, FIRS, Abuja Hajiya Saadatu Yero, represented by the Assistant Director in the Department, Prince Manasseh Ortaerga, gave the reason for the introduction of FIRS TaxPro-Max and the sensitization programme.
According to him, “we are here to sensitize the public to bring the people into tax net for then to comply and provide the needed resources for national development. In the course of doing this business of tax administration, and in view of global development in terms of digitization, we are not left behind in the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).
“We are migrating to automated platforms on our various taxes and in doing that, we have developed a home-grown application called TaxPro-Max. Tax-
Pro-Max is a digital approach to tax administration.
“Therefore, this engagement in partnership with the Interswitch Company is to educate and to inform and enlighten our stakeholders in the tax space for the purpose of maximizing tax revenue for national development.
While noting the importance of compliance to tax issues, he said “As you are aware the solution is to aid compliance. Basically as a tax payer, you must register with tax office and after registration, you have the obligation to file your returns and as you prepare your returns, it is imperative for you to pay appropriate taxes that are due because we are operating a self-assessment regime.
“As responsible citizens of this country, we expect you to do your taxes based on your operations and remit same to the FIRS. To aid that aspect of compliance, the TaxPro-Max has been developed by the Service, an in-house application to aid tax administration.
“The TaxPro-Max enables you to do your registration anywhere, anytime and also allows you to make payment seamlessly,” Prince Ortaega said.
He said Interswitch has been their major partner over the years supporting them to achieve their targets.
L-R: Group Head, Government, Interswitch, Osasere Atohengbe; Manager, Tax, FIRS, Abuja, Mbami Shomgwan; Assistant Director, Tax, FIRS, Manasseh Ortaerga; Group Head, Growth Marketing – Merchants & Ecosystem, Interswitch, Olawale Akanbi; and Associate Director, PwC, Emeka Chime at the recently concluded Tax Sensitization program held in Lagos.
“I want to report positively that we are almost 95% meeting our target and this has been possible because of our partnership with Interswitch. Today engagement is to deepen your understanding about the operations of TaxPro-Max, and challenges you may be encountering.
“With TaxPro-Max, we have taken away paper works and human interference so that you don’t need to go lobbying or having issues at the tax office,” he added.
In his presentation on “Introduction to FIRS TaxPro-Max,” Assistant Manager, TaxPro-Max, Collins Amadi, said the platform provides solution for taxpayers in the areas of registration, filing, payment and reporting.
“TaxPro-Max enables seamless registration, filing, payment of taxes and automatic credit of withholding tax as well as other credits to the Taxpayers accounts among other features
“TaxPro-Max also provides a single-view to Taxpayers for all transactions with the Service,” Colins explained.
He said so far the FIRS-Interswitch collaboration on digital remittance has generated 219,042 transactions on TaxPro-Max while 603,042 Taxpayers have registered on the platform as of November 24, 2022.
In her presentation “Interswitch Collection (Paydirect) on TaxPro-Max,” Cassiel Obaedo, Group Head, B2B Products Management (Industry Ecosystem) at Interswitch, said the FIRS-Interswitch partnership started in 2005, with focus on achieving tax collection administration across multiple-Channels; building of digital revenue collection Infrastructure; ensuring nationwide tax automation compliance as well as reporting and settlement.
She said the 17 years partnership has led to enhanced digital collections; accountability and visibility; steady government revenue growth; convenience for Taxpayers; cost-effective revenue collection methods and easier auditing and reconciliation.
“We celebrate the strides FIRS has made in the area of revenue generation and growth over the years and we are happy to be part of the story.
“We will ride on our proven track record to continually support the FIRS in its forward-movement with digitalization of tax administration in Nigeria to grow government revenue and empower successive administrations in their governance mandate,” Cassiel said.
In his Keynote address “Driving Sustainable Economic Growth Through Digitization of Tax Administration,” Emeka Chime, an Associate Director at PriceWaterCooper (PWC) highlighted the benefits of digitalization of tax administration to include improved awareness and self-reporting; improved data collection; enhanced tax compliance activities; improved service delivery; higher revenue; increased taxpayers compliance and reduced revenue leakages from corruption amongst others.
