STATEMENT FROM THE ACCOUNTABILITY AND POLICY MONITORING GROUP

The Accountability and Policy Monitoring Group finds it necessary to respond to the misleading and factually inaccurate statement issued by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar regarding the addition of Xpress Payments into the FIRS revenue collection system.

Atiku’s claims are built on a false narrative and risk misleading Nigerians at a time when clarity is most important.

First, the suggestion that a single private company has been secretly inserted to monopolise revenue collection is entirely untrue. The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has always partnered with multiple authorised payment companies to facilitate government revenue collection. This is a long-standing, legal, transparent practice. The only development now is that one new company has been added to an already existing pool, thereby expanding competition and widening access. To misrepresent a routine administrative update as “state capture” is disappointing and unbecoming of a statesman.

Second, the effort to politicise national insecurity in order to oppose a normal administrative process is unnecessary and insensitive. Nigeria is combating insecurity while still running government, reforming institutions, and strengthening systems. Should a country suspend progress because of security concerns? Leadership requires capability to address multiple challenges at once — insecurity does not freeze national development.

Third, Atiku’s sudden emotional investment in the companies that previously handled these collections raises legitimate questions: what exactly is his interest? Why is expanding competition suddenly a threat? Nigerians deserve transparency from everyone — including those trying to weaponise public commentary.

Fourth, Atiku’s demand that FIRS publish the new company’s agreement is curious, considering he has never published the agreements of the previously engaged companies. If he has access to them, he should release them. If not, then the basis of his accusation lacks credibility. Transparency cannot be selective.

Fifth, his insistence on National Assembly legislation shows a surprising misunderstanding of the law. The FIRS Act clearly empowers the Executive Chairman, Zaccheaus Adedeji, to appoint and regulate authorised payment partners without needing parliamentary approval every time a new one is added. This is not an abuse of process — it is exactly what the law prescribes. The system has, in fact, been democratised, not hijacked. More authorised partners mean greater accountability, enhanced competition, and stronger oversight.

We must also emphasise that the public now has more visibility over who collects revenue on behalf of government than ever before. This is transparency in action — not the opaque era where Nigerians didn’t even know who was involved in collections.

As an Accountability and Policy Monitoring institution, we commend the FIRS Chairman, Zaccheaus Adedeji, and the entire FIRS leadership for the exceptional reforms they are implementing.

From improved transparency, to strengthened tax reforms, to enhanced digital processes and record-breaking revenue performance — the progress is clear, measurable, and nationally beneficial.

We urge the FIRS to remain focused, undistracted, and steadfast. The reforms are working. Nigerians are seeing real improvements. The attempts to politicise routine administrative decisions should not derail the progress being made.

Atiku’s statement is based on assumptions, misinformation, and insinuations — not facts. Nigeria deserves responsible, informed discourse, not manufactured alarm.

We encourage the FIRS leadership to keep up the excellent work. Continue the reforms. Deepen transparency. Strengthen accountability. Ignore the noise, stay focused on the mission, and keep driving Nigeria’s revenue system forward.

*Signed: Bolaji Fesomade*

*Finance publisher in accountability and policies monitoring*