The Federal Inland Revenue Service has dismissed recent allegations by former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar concerning the appointment of Xpress Payments as one of the channels used in the Treasury Single Account revenue collection system, describing the claims as incorrect, misleading, and capable of unnecessarily politicising a purely administrative and technical process.
In a weekend statement issued by the Technical Assistant on Broadcast Media to the Executive Chairman, Arabinrin Aderonke Atoyebi, the Service clarified that it does not operate any exclusive or single-gateway revenue collection arrangement and has not granted monopoly rights to any private company over government revenues.
The agency stated that it currently operates a multi-channel, multi-Payment Solution Service Provider framework that includes several established platforms such as Quickteller, Remita, Etranzact, Flutterwave, and XpressPay. “These PSSPs are part of an expanded, transparent, and competitive ecosystem designed to make tax payment easier and more efficient for Nigerians across the country,” the statement read.
It further explained that PSSPs were not collection agents and did not earn processing fees or percentages of government revenues, stressing that all payments made through the channels go directly into the Federation Account without diversion, intermediaries, or private custody.
Highlighting key features of the TSA collection system, the Service noted that the inclusion of multiple PSSPs was intended to provide taxpayers with more options, improve efficiency through enhanced monitoring and reporting, and promote innovation and job creation within the financial technology sector. It added that the onboarding process for PSSPs was transparent, open, and verifiable, ensuring fairness and equal opportunity for all participants.
The agency reaffirmed its commitment to professionalism and transparency and urged political figures to avoid misrepresenting routine administrative procedures. “The ongoing national tax reform, led by the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, is a cornerstone of Nigeria’s economic modernisation.
It is grounded in transparency, efficiency, and broad stakeholder engagement. This reform cannot and should not be dragged into partisan controversy,” the statement added. The Service called on Atiku and other political actors to desist from spreading misinformation, noting that Nigeria’s tax system was too vital to be undermined by politicisation.
