The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has acknowledged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for its significant contribution to the FIRS’s success in meeting the federal government’s 2025 revenue target.
The anti-graft agency, in a statement posted on its X page on Wednesday, said the commendation was made during a courtesy visit by the FIRS Executive Chairman, Zach Adedeji, to his EFCC counterpart, Ola Olukoyede, at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
Adedeji, during his speech, stated that the FIRS’s achievement, which earned praise from President Bola Tinubu, was a collaborative effort.
“You know it is wrong to assume that we are the only ones doing the job. So, we take it upon ourselves that we need to visit and convey Mr. President’s appreciation to our partners,” Adedeji said.
He further emphasised the EFCC’s role in helping the FIRS achieve its goals and, by extension, in sustaining Nigeria’s financial stability.
The FIRS chairman also sought further cooperation from the EFCC, particularly in promoting transparency in public expenditure.
He highlighted the importance of citizens seeing the tangible use of collected revenue to encourage voluntary tax compliance.
“We are going into another budget cycle where we are trying to reform our expenditure framework,” Adedeji explained, expressing the need for a partnership to ensure a transparent system that aids taxpayer compliance.
Also see: FG Says Shea Export Ban Aims to Boost Rural Economy
However, Olukoyede praised the FIRS for its achievement, noting the unprecedented nature of meeting the revenue target by August.
He stressed the importance of collaboration between the two agencies, stating that the public presence of both the EFCC and FIRS “sends a signal that it’s no longer going to be business as usual.”
Olukoyede affirmed the EFCC’s commitment to fighting tax fraud, referencing a recent Court of Appeal judgment that validated the Commission’s authority to investigate such crimes.
He clarified that tax and revenue issues fall within the EFCC’s mandate to prevent, investigate, and prosecute financial and economic crimes.
The EFCC boss also mentioned the existence of a long-standing joint task force between the two agencies, a relationship he said would continue.
