Jerry Adams, executive chairman of the Kaduna State Internal Revenue Service (KADIRS), says the policies of Uba Sani, the state governor, are encouraging businesses and companies to return.
Adams also said the state’s electronic tax portal has boosted its internally generated revenue (IGR).
The KADIRS chairman was reacting to the recent report of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) which listed Kaduna as the state with the highest IGR of N62.49 billion in the north in 2023.
On October 29, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said the 36 states of the federation and the federal capital territory (FCT) recorded N2.43 trillion in internally generated revenue (IGR) in 2023.
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The tax portal, tagged, ‘payKaduna’, was launched in September to streamline tax administration and enhance revenue collection in the state.
Speaking to journalists over the weekend, Adams said the recognition is well-deserved, attributing it to the financial inclusion policies introduced by Uba Sani, governor of Kaduna.
He commended Sani for automating tax administration and equipping KADIRS with tools to support the digital process.
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“KADIRS now has a One-Stop-Tax portal called ‘Pay Kaduna Portal,’ which enables citizens to pay their taxes from anywhere, without physically coming to the tax agency’s offices,” the chairman said.
“This automation has reduced leakages in the system. By just clicking on the particular tax icon, a taxpayer can pay Withholding Tax, Stamp Duty Tax and so on.”
Adams said Sani’s focus on financial inclusion, expanding the tax base, and reorganising KADIRS has led to higher revenue without raising tax rates, by using a “horizontal approach” instead of the previous “vertical approach”.
“The policies of the Uba Sani administration have a human face and this has encouraged businesses and companies that left Kaduna in the past to return,” Adams said.
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“Alongside this, he has launched several business-friendly policies that are positively impacting revenue generation.”
According to Adams, the “tax for service” approach has also increased voluntary tax compliance as people see where their money goes.
“Our motto is ‘Tax For Service’ and the present administration has shown this with major projects in areas like road construction, new schools, and other developments,” he said.
He encouraged Kaduna residents to pay their taxes on time, noting that with the governor’s support, KADIRS can further improve tax collection and boost the state’s IGR.
