The Federal Capital Internal Revenue Service ,FCT-IRS, is to deploy artificial intelligence to facilitate voluntary tax compliance in 2024.
The acting Executive Chairman of the service, Mr Haruna Abdullahi, made this known during the FCT-IRS end-of-year media briefing, in Abuja on Wednesday.
Abdullahi added that other technology solutions to be deployed include cloud computing, collaboration tools, business process automation and data analytical tools.; the goal is to improve performance of routine tasks, aimed at encouraging voluntary compliance and ease of doing business.
He explained that from inception, the emphasis has been on driving the Service using technology, adding that the Service has invested in modern working tools such as hardware and software.
“The Service will further employ the use of technology to enhance operations mainly in compliance, enforcement.
“We will also seek to consolidate the culture of transparency and accountability in order to build trust and cooperation between the service and the taxpayers.
“The processes of registration, payment, receipt, assessment, Tax Clearance Certificate (TCC) issuance, filing of returns, TCC verification, and generation of withholding tax credit notes have all been automated.
“Also, to encourage voluntary compliance and to allow taxpayers perform their tax obligations at the comfort of their homes or offices, the FCT-IRS introduced a Self-Service portal, www.fctirs.gov.ng.
“This enables taxpayers to request for Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN), file annual returns, make payment and request for TCC,” he said.
The acting chairman added that the Service would, in accordance with the tax laws, apply a penalty for non-filing of annual returns by January 31 of every year for employers and March 31 of every year for individuals.
Abdullahi stated that part of the effort is to ensure compliance with filing of returns.
He added that a comprehensive reassessment of returns would be intensified, which would be followed by constant monitoring and compliance exercises.
He also said that to comply with the ease of doing business initiative, the Service would open more tax offices across the six Area Councils in FCT and at strategic locations.
This, he said, would ensure convenience of the taxpayers and further streamline services, making the tax offices accessible to a broader population and contributing to overall organisational growth.
“Additionally, a state of the art headquarters will be constructed, not only to provide for coordination of operations but also reflect our commitment to excellence.
“To attract and retain young talents, the Service will embark on providing targeted training programmes towards ensuring employees stay updated with industry trends.
“We will also be providing staff with modern working tools to foster efficiency and innovation,” he said.
Abdullahi disclosed that from January 2024, the Service would embark on intensive enforcement exercise in line with the provisions of extant laws.
He added that the Service would not only hesitate to prosecute tax offenders through the instrumentality of the law but would ensure that all tax due to FCT were recovered.
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