Category: The Nation – Nigeria

In Nigeria, both domestic and international airfares are significantly higher compared to other countries due to a variety of internal and external economic and operational challenges.

Unlike in many other parts of the world, these elevated costs are driven by factors like currency depreciation, high operational costs, taxes, and limited competition.

Investigation by The Nation revealed the disparity around price in Nigeria compared to elsewhere.

Passengers flying out of Nigeria often pay substantially more for international routes than those departing from neighboring West African countries like Ghana or Benin Republic.

For instance, a flight from Lagos to London can cost over three times more than a flight on the same airline from Cotonou to London.

In 2019, a study noted that the average fare per passenger flight hour on a popular Lagos-Abuja route was about $83.3, whereas similar flights on a Boeing 737-700 in Western countries averaged just $33.33.

The significant and rapid depreciation of the Nigerian Naira against major foreign currencies, particularly the US dollar, is a primary driver.

This devaluation makes it prohibitively expensive for Nigerian airlines to cover costs that are priced in foreign currency, including aircraft maintenance, spare parts, and lease payments.

Airlines also face difficulties repatriating revenue earned in Nigeria in foreign currency, further limiting their operational cash flow.

Nigeria’s airlines spend a significant portion of their operational budget on aviation fuel, which is imported. Global oil price volatility and the poor state of domestic refineries make this a major and unstable cost.

The combined effect of these challenges is a volatile and expensive air travel market in Nigeria. While an airline’s price planning is influenced by multiple factors, including distance, time, and demand, the overriding structural issues in Nigeria make air travel far more expensive and prone to sharp, sudden price increases compared to other regions.

For example, between November 2021 and November 2022, the average domestic airfare in Nigeria surged by over 97%. Similarly, between September 2023 and September 2024, the fare jumped by 57.81%. These rapid escalations highlight the profound impact of exchange rate fluctuations and fuel costs on the industry.

Nigerian airfare affordability is currently challenged by several factors, including currency volatility, high operational costs (especially for aviation fuel and maintenance), taxes, and infrastructure limitations. This situation has led to declining air passenger travel and reduced spending on foreign travel.

Aviation fuel, which is largely imported, can account for 40-50% of an airline’s operating costs in Nigeria, compared to a global average of 25%. Maintenance, insurance, and capital costs are also higher than global averages.

Airlines face numerous government charges, levies, and high airport fees, which contribute to higher ticket prices. There is currently a debate over NAMA’s N11,000 per-flight charge, which remains unchanged since 2008 despite ticket prices soaring from N16,000 to between N150,000 and N200,000.

Limited airport operating hours due to a lack of airfield lighting restrict aircraft utilisation and can increase operational costs.

Increased competition on some international routes, such as the Lagos-London route following Air Peace’s entry, has led to price reductions by other airlines. However, domestic routes still show signs of ‘shadow pricing’ where airlines tend to match fares rather than undercut competitors, indicating limited price competition.

In Nigeria, both domestic and international airfares are significantly higher compared to other countries due to a variety of internal and external economic and operational challenges. Unlike in many other parts of the world, these elevated costs are driven by factors like currency depreciation, high operational costs, taxes, and limited competition.

The Nigerian aviation industry lacks sufficient local capacity for major aircraft maintenance (C-checks), forcing airlines to perform maintenance abroad at a high foreign exchange cost.

Both domestic and international airlines operating in Nigeria face a multitude of government-related charges, levies, and high airport fees. These costs are often passed on to the customer, inflating ticket prices.

In some instances, major airlines have formed cartels to determine pricing, limiting competition and driving up ticket prices.

On key international routes, high demand is not met by sufficient capacity, particularly from domestic carriers. This allows foreign airlines to charge a premium for tickets.

While airfares are high, the average disposable income of many Nigerians is relatively low.

Despite high costs, the demand for air travel on some routes remains relatively inelastic, particularly for business travelers or those with limited alternatives.

The combined effect of these challenges is a volatile and expensive air travel market in Nigeria. While an airline’s price planning is influenced by multiple factors, including distance, time, and demand, the overriding structural issues in Nigeria make air travel far more expensive and prone to sharp, sudden price increases compared to other regions.

This increase has been attributed to fluctuations in aviation fuel prices and exchange rate volatility, leading to rising operational costs.

Higher airfares in Nigeria have several implications: elevated travel costs for consumers, decreased demand for air travel, adverse effects on tourism, increased operational costs for businesses that depend on air transport and inflationary pressures on related sectors such as hospitality and logistics.

Across Africa, a similar trend is evident in the demand and aeroplane seat availability data. Overall, the number of aeroplane seats in Africa decreased by 3.58%, suggesting a reduction in available flights.

Demand for aeroplane seats varies across Africa, with significant drops reported in Eastern and North Africa, while Southern Africa saw an increase in seat capacity.

The ‘Seats by Region’ metric represents the number of seats available to, from, and within each African subregion for the specified period.

Uneven seat distribution could be due to factors like demand elasticity, operational challenges, and regional economic conditions, which airlines are addressing by strategically adjusting capacities to align with market demand.

Data between September 2023 and March 2024 indicate a 71% correlation between airfare charges and aviation fuel costs.

This shows that there is a moderate to strong positive connection between the two variables, indicating that domestic flight costs tend to climb in tandem with increases in aviation fuel prices, as airlines likely pass some of these increased expenses onto consumers.

The depreciation of the Naira against major foreign currencies was another reason stated to have led to the increase in airfares in Nigeria.

However, data shows that Nigeria’s exchange rate volatility is moderately linked to changes in airfares.

The Naira to Dollar exchange rate is 69% correlated to airfare charges for a single journey between September 2023 to September 2024.

The World Bank emphasises that countries that rely significantly on imported items, such as aviation fuel and aircraft parts, which are valued in foreign currency, are significantly impacted by exchange rate depreciation.

According to an analysis by the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise (CPPE), three sectors underperformed in the rebased GDP.

The CPPE said, ‘Top-performing sectors included financial services [15.3%], oil refining [11.51%], transportation [14.08], ICT [7.4%], and metal ores [25%].

‘The following sectors contracted: Livestock [-16.7%], fishing [-0.21%], Textiles [-1.63], Coal Mining [-22.3%], Quarry and Minerals [-21.55%], Plastics and Rubber [-3.2%], Iron and Steel [-0.35%], Air Transport [-0.81%].’

Sectors in recession include air transport, textiles, and coal mining. This follows their consistent contraction over the past few quarters.

With increasing prices of tickets, the passenger numbers have dropped significantly according to airline operators.

Also the acting Managing Director of Ibom Air, George Uriesi recently raised an alarm over depleting passenger figures, saying this is a major cause for concern.

The Ibom Air boss confirmed that traffic has been dwindling since 2022, saying the situation is getting worse and efforts must be made to attract more passengers to fly.

‘We are down by 27% from 2024. We are in trouble, we have to find a way to get people flying again,’ he said.

The Airline operator said airports must work with airlines to survive, saying, ‘In Aviation ecosystem, the driver is the airline. Nobody will earn kobo if airlines do not fly. Everybody talks about money because airlines are flying.’

While commenting on the troubling phenomenon, the Chief Executive Officer of Aero Contractors, Capt. Ado Sanusi in a chat with newsmen said, ‘The passenger traffic has been declining in Nigeria. It’s been declining and we know the reason for the decline of the passenger traffic. I have mentioned it in several interviews. There are factors affecting the decline in passenger traffic. The movement of passengers reflects the economic activities of any country. If the economic activities of the country have slowed down, the movement will slow down.’

Sanusi however believes the economy is picking up gradually and said the federal government must work with the airlines to streamline the taxes.

‘The economy is going in the right direction. But the problem, or the challenge that we are faced with is the taxations that are a bit high and so for the tickets. That makes the tickets a bit high in so many ways, meaning that the people that are buying tickets are very few in Nigeria.’

Stanley Opubeh, another aviation stakeholder, blamed the underperformance of the sector on the depletion of disposable income of Nigerians.

‘There is no disposable income again. People are really tightening their belts now. To travel by air is now a luxury more or less,’ he said.

However, President of the National Association of Nigerian Travel Agencies (NANTA), Yinka Folami however disagreed that the aviation sector is in a recession.

‘From my experience and what I observe, there is nothing that points to that significant drop so much as classified as a recession. Nothing points that to me. IATA figures are bouncing back. Load factor is reasonably high,’ he said.

Aviation analyst and General Secretary of Aviation Roundtable and Safety Initiative, Mr. Olumide Ohunayo said the sector was recovering well from the shutdown occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic until the progress was slowed by naira devaluation.

Ohunayo said, ‘Air Transport was the sector that was most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. It was predicted that it would take three years for air transport to get back to the pre-COVID era. I think that prediction has only been reverted by two or three countries that have got back to the 2019 era.

‘In our own case as we are about recovering, there came the paucity of funds most especially the dollar which is the main currency of operation in the industry. That affected the capacity and because it affected the capacity, the airlines did not post a lot, they cancelled some routes and passengers were looking at options.

‘The dollar-to-naira ticket fare skyrocketed. And due to the skyrocketing, passengers also abandoned air transportation. The airlines do not have the kind of capacity they had in the beginning, that reduced and this affected frequency and routes and also affected available capacity in the market.

‘The rate of dollar to naira that skyrocketed along with the inflation that followed it also made tickets a bit high for passengers.

‘Again, the disposable income that was there for Nigerians before was lowered considerably by inflation. So people are not travelling for things that are not important anymore. So it must be extremely important for people to travel.

‘With all these conditions, it was the air transport that suffered the most because it is a luxurious travel and it is very expensive.

‘Again remember they also clamped down on private jets. Remember as of 2019, we had more private jets than even scheduled flights. With the clamp down on private jet operations and asking them to regularise their papers, that also took some aircraft out of the country while some were grounded and that also affected aviation contribution to the economy.’

Experts have divided opinions on the outlook for 2025 and 2026. Some are optimistic about potential improvements due to relative stability in the foreign exchange market and local production of aviation fuel. Others predict a continued decline unless the underlying issues of currency instability and economic hardship are addressed.

However, the government is exploring ways to address high airfares, including potentially enhancing airport security and addressing challenges related to aircraft leasing and trapped funds.

Recent tax law changes have removed waivers for airline tickets, aircraft, engines, and spare parts, which industry stakeholders warn could further increase costs. However, a recent suspension of a 4% FOB levy on imports was lauded by airline operators as a positive intervention.

In the view of experts, overall, the outlook for airfare affordability in Nigeria remains challenging due to persistent economic and structural issues. While some government interventions and private sector initiatives offer glimmers of hope, significant improvements are likely dependent on greater currency stability, reduced operational costs, and supportive government policies.

Founder of Nonso Ezeagu Foundation (NEF), organizer of the Annual Charity Cup, Nonso Ezeagu says the annual football tournament is aimed at empowering the youths and the vulnerable.

Ezeagu stresses that the rationale behind the annual tournament was to unite the youths, and to keep them off the streets and out of crime.

‘As we all know, football has the potentials of uniting communities, even when you may have had quarrel with people, but once its football time, all the acrimony would easily be forgotten, and you will see the same people discussing and analyzing football together,’ He averred.

The CEO noted that he was motivated into giving back to the society from what God has blessed him with, adding that it was also a way of saying thank you to the Almighty who has provided all the resources.

Ezeagu expressed that some of his class friends and family have supported in making this year’s edition a reality, saying that he is also grateful to the Mayor of Aguata LGA, who out of his ver busy schedule, carved out time to grace the occasion.

On his part, the Mayor of Aguata Local Government Area, Dr. Chibueze Oforbuike, who declared the tournament open, commended NEF for the huge resources expended in putting smiles on the faces of people, notwithstanding the current economic realities.

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has reacted to reports of a Federal High Court order directing it to maintain the status quo in the ongoing case concerning the enforcement of tinted glass permits.

The force stated that it has not yet been officially served with the order.

Responding to a social media post on Saturday by human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, who shared a copy of the order on X (formerly Twitter), the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, said the police had not received a formal notification on the court’s directive.

Hundeyin wrote: ‘While we have not been officially served the court order you’re making reference to, let me, in the meantime, show point no. 8 (of the same order) since you left that part out and focused only on point no. 6. Nigerians deserve a complete picture, not a skewed one.’

Point 8 of the order reads: ‘Meanwhile, Reliefs 1, 2 and 3 are hereby refused.’

The reliefs referred to are those sought by the applicant, John Aikpokpo-Martins, on behalf of tinted glass car owners in Nigeria, in Suit No. FHC/WR/CS/103/2025 – John Aikpokpo-Martins v. Inspector General of Police and Nigeria Police Force. They include:

‘An order of interim injunction restraining the Inspector General of Police, the Nigeria Police Force, their officers, men, agents, privies and/or contractors from implementing or enforcing the new tinted glass permit policy set to commence on October 6, 2025, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.

‘An order of interim injunction restraining the defendants from stopping, harassing, arresting, detaining, impounding vehicles or extorting motorists in purported enforcement of the tinted glass permit policy, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.

‘An order of interim injunction restraining the defendants from using the Parkway Projects account (No. 4001017918) to collect any fees for the renewal of tinted glass permits or to conduct any government business pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.’

Effiong had earlier posted excerpts of the court order, which restrained the police from taking further action on the enforcement of tinted glass regulations pending the determination of the case.

In the ruling, the Federal High Court sitting in Warri directed the police to maintain the status quo and respect ongoing judicial proceedings.

Confirming the development, lead counsel in the matter, Kunle Edun, SAN, described the order as ‘a major step in upholding the rule of law and protecting the rights of citizens while the substantive issues are yet to be decided.’

No fewer than 10,000 less privileged persons across the 44 local government areas of Kano State are set to receive N20,000 each from the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin.

According to a statement issued in Abuja by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ismail Mudashir, the selection process for the beneficiaries will begin on Thursday, October 9, 2025, with the distribution of application forms.

The initiative is being implemented through the Barau I. Jibrin Foundation (BIJF), a charitable organisation established by the Deputy Senate President. The foundation has previously undertaken several empowerment projects, including foreign postgraduate scholarships for indigent students from Kano State.

Mudashir noted that the cash disbursement is part of Senator Barau’s ongoing efforts to make a direct impact on the lives of less privileged individuals in the state.

‘A total of 6,500 persons would be selected from the Kano North Senatorial District, with each of the 13 LGAs set to produce 500 beneficiaries. One hundred twelve (112) individuals will be selected from each local government area in Kano Central and South Senatorial Districts.

‘This is in addition to the numerous interventions of the Deputy President of the Senate in the areas of education, healthcare, agriculture, security, and transportation, among others. The Deputy President of the Senate remains committed to empowering the people.

‘Empowering women and youth is a central focus of His Excellency’s initiatives, which aim to foster development and growth in the North and the country at large,’ he said.

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) have established a Joint Task Force on Digital Governance and Anti-Corruption to combat corruption in government IT projects and enforce compliance with Nigeria’s IT Project Clearance policy.

The task force was inaugurated during a meeting between NITDA’s Director General, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, and ICPC Chairman, Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN, at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja.

Abdullahi said the collaboration represents a renewed commitment by both agencies to align their efforts with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s ‘Renewed Hope Agenda.

He explained that the initiative is in line with the President’s goal of building a $1 trillion economy powered by digital transformation, improved ease of doing business, and the eradication of corruption as a barrier to sustainable development.

The NITDA boss lamented that billions of naira had been lost over the years to failed or abandoned government IT projects, blaming the trend on some Federal Public Institutions (FPIs) that sidestepped the mandatory clearance process before embarking on technology procurements.

He said such practices have led to duplication of projects, inflated costs, poor technical standards, and in many cases, total project failure.

ý’These lapses have eroded public trust and wasted scarce resources that could have been deployed to improve service delivery and transparency,’ the Director General said in a statement issued by the NITDA’s Director of Corporate Communications and Media, Hajiya Hadiza Umar.

ýThe NITDA boss said the IT Project Clearance process was designed to prevent such waste and ensure that there is synergy in public investments, projects vetting, interoperability, and delivery of value for money.

ýUnder the new initiative, the Joint Task Force will merge NITDA’s technical oversight with ICPC’s investigative and prosecutorial powers to ensure full compliance and accountability in public ICT investments.

ýIts mandate includes, ‘Enforcement of IT Clearance: Ensuring all FPIs obtain NITDA’s mandatory IT Project Clearance before commencing any technology-related project, with ICPC enforcing compliance where violations occur.

ý’Monitoring and Sanctioning: Jointly tracking IT project implementation and sanctioning defaulting agencies in line with extant regulations, and

ý’Integration of Enforcement Tools: Embedding NITDA’s monitoring instruments into ICPC’s anti-corruption frameworks, such as the System Study and Review, Ethics and Integrity Scorecard, and other tools to institutionalize compliance’.

ýThe NITDA boss further emphasized that the IT Project Clearance framework serves as a national safeguard for responsible digital spending.

ý ‘The IT Clearance Regulation is designed to ensure that government IT projects are properly conceptualized and executed in line with global best practices. It ensures value-for-money investments, reduces duplication, and creates a unified digital government,’ he said.

ýIn his remarks, ICPC Chairman Dr. Aliyu (SAN) hailed the collaboration as timely and essential for Nigeria’s digital future.

ý’Corruption in IT procurement undermines both public trust and economic progress. The Commission is ready to deploy its statutory powers to support NITDA’s mandate and hold both contractors and public officials accountable,’ he said.

Nigerian music superstars Burna Boy, Wizkid, and Ayra Starr have officially submitted their albums and singles for consideration in the upcoming 2026 Grammy Awards.

Burna Boy entered his latest album, No Sign of Weakness, in both the Album of the Year and Best Global Album categories. His hit singles ‘Last Last’ and ‘For My Hand’ were submitted for Record of the Year and Song of the Year, while Love was entered in the Best African Music Performance category.

Wizkid submitted his project Morayo for Album of the Year and Best Global Album. His track Piece of My Heart is up for Record of the Year and Song of the Year, while his collaboration with Ayra Starr, Gimme Dat, was entered for Best African Music Performance.

Ayra Starr, on her part, submitted her single Hot Body for both Record of the Year and Song of the Year. She also joins Wizkid in the Best African Music Performance category with their joint track Gimme Dat.

The submissions come ahead of the official announcement of nominees for the 2026 Grammy Awards, where all three stars are expected to be strong contenders representing Nigerian and African music on the global stage.

All Progressives Congress (APC), Kayode Ojo, and Governor Biodun Oyebanji clashed on Sunday over alleged attacks, intimidation, and harassment of supporters ahead of the governorship primary.

Ojo accused agents of the state government of masterminding politically motivated violence, unlawful arrests, and persecution of his supporters across various communities in the state.

Speaking at a press conference in Ado-Ekiti, Ojo, through the Head of the Kayode Ojo Team, Olukayode Oluyemo, alleged that several of his supporters had been unlawfully arrested, detained, and assaulted in a bid to weaken his growing political base.

According to him, incidents of attacks had been recorded in Igede-Ekiti, Otun-Ekiti, Ikere-Ekiti, and Emure-Ekiti.

He further claimed that intelligence reports indicated plans by political thugs allegedly loyal to the governor to disrupt his ward-to-ward campaign tour scheduled to begin on Thursday.

Ojo also cited a viral video in which threats were allegedly issued against him and his loyalists.

‘We have credible intelligence that some political thugs, believed to be loyal to Governor Oyebanji, are threatening to disrupt our campaign activities,’ Oluyemo said. ‘We urge security agencies to prevent any breakdown of law and order. Peaceful competition is the bedrock of democracy and must be protected.’

He further decried the alleged vandalisation of his campaign offices and properties belonging to his supporters, describing the incidents as ‘a direct assault on democratic rights and a violation of both the Nigerian and APC constitutions.’

Ojo demanded the immediate release of all detained supporters, an independent investigation into the alleged attacks, and sanctions against any public officials found guilty of abuse of power.

He warned that using state institutions to suppress political opponents could endanger peace and stability in the state.

However, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Information, Yinka Olatunbosun, dismissed the allegations as baseless and mischievous, accusing Ojo of seeking cheap publicity to cover up his political unpopularity.

‘No popular aspirant or loyal APC member will accuse the government of blocking their movement or attacking their supporters. It’s not only untrue but a figment of imagination – a lie from the pit of hell,’ Olatunbosun said.

He added that Ojo was merely attempting to drag the governor’s name into controversy to justify an anticipated poor performance in the forthcoming APC governorship primary. ‘Politics requires mutual respect, collaboration, and camaraderie – not frivolous claims or media drama,’ he stated.

The Department of State Services (DSS) has released two reporters of Jay 101.9 FM, Jos, Plateau State, wrongfully arrested during the visit, on Saturday, of President Bola Tinubu, who was in the state for the burial of mother of the All Progressives Congress (APC) national chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwadta Goshwe.

According to a credible security source, on hearing that some overzealous operatives had arrested Ms. Ruth Marcus and Keshia Jang, who work for the radio station,

the Director-General, Mr. Oluwatosin Ajayi, ordered their immediate release.

According to the source, the Service also immediately contacted the national president of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Comrade Alhassan Yahaya, and conveyed the DG’s apologies.lesde

‘The Director assured the NUJ President that the new DSS leadership treasures the importance of a free press in a democracy, and has ordered a thorough investigation into the matter. He further assured the NUJ President that any officer found culpable will be appropriately sanctioned.

‘The new DG is correcting the wrongs he inherited. One of them is overzealousness. This is why the new DG has not failed to admit so whenever the Service makes mistakes. We are witnesses to several instances when the Service apologized and even compensated victims of wrongful arrests.

‘The DG is an absolute lover of human rights and press freedom. You may recall that sometime ago, the DSS DG apologized to the management of TVC over the alleged harassment and intimidation of a reporter,’ added the source.

It was an afternoon of melodious hymns, Psalms and Anthems as the Council of Knights Lagos and Lagos Mainland chapters of the Methodist Church Nigeria held its 9th Annual Choral Day celebration themed, ‘Arise In Faith Through Music’.

Guests were treated to classical renditions of anthems, psalms, traditional pieces and melodious music at the concert that took place on the 1st of October, 2025, at the Williams Memorial Methodist Cathedral, Ago Ijaiye, in Ebute Metta, Lagos.

The event, which had 48 choristers drawn across from ten choirs in the Archdiocese of Lagos, was conducted by the Grand Concert Choir master, Sir Soji Onafowokan (KCW), who led the choir in ministering in songs ably backed by the Orchestra led by Tope Jaiyesimi.

The Choral event featured sacred renditions of Hymns with descants, solos, duets, psalms, anthems and traditional songs, which brought alive the Methodist spirit and heritage, as it is said Methodism was born in songs.

Bishop of Lagos Central, Rt Revd. Samuel Ransford Nortey, in his welcome address, welcomed everyone present to the event and that it was a great opportunity to host the Choral Day.

Speaking on the significance of the occasion, Sir Ayorinde Thomas said the idea was to bring back the hymns, chants that the Methodists are known for. It was to enlighten the people about the importance of it in our worship and in the Methodist Church, as done by Charles Wesley.

Continuing, he said there had been a gap and the Council of Knights agreed to fill the gap and that it was also an opportunity to pray for the nation as the concert is held every Independence Day.

Rtd Major Williams, a knight of Charles Wesley, highlighted that the importance was to bring back the Methodist heritage and not allow it to die.

Prayers were held for Nigeria as she clocked 65 years of independence during the musical showpiece.

The emergence of Zacch Adedeji, PhD, as the Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), began as a whisper before the formal announcement.

Although the confirmation of his appointment came three months later, since he assumed office, he has practically demonstrated his capacity to take on the tax and fiscal space headlong with much equanimity expected of the Capricorn that he is.

A Capricorn is disciplined, practical, ambitious, and hardworking. He often takes on leadership roles with a strong sense of responsibility and a ‘can-do’ attitude. This is quintessential Zacch Adedeji, PhD.

Two years on, these qualities have defined the leadership paradigm at the FIRS, shaping its policies and thrusting its administration in a positive direction.

As Adedeji marks his second anniversary as the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) Executive Chairman, Nigerians can attest to his significant strides in transforming the nation’s tax system.

He has led the FIRS to surpass revenue targets, introduced a raft of tax reforms, modernised tax administration, and made the FIRS a customer-centric organisation.

Revenue collection achievements

Under Adedeji’s leadership, the FIRS has consistently exceeded its revenue targets. In 2023, the agency collected N12.36 trillion or 107% thereby surpassing its target of N11.55 trillion. In 2024, he also collected 21.7 trillion naira against the target of N19.7 trillion.

These remarkable feats demonstrate Adedeji’s ability to drive success through strategic planning and efficiency.

Between September 2023 and August 2025, the Service collected a total of N46 trillion in tax revenue. This represents: 115% of the combined revenue target of N40.07 trillion.

The two-year performance reflects the impact of reforms implemented by the management, which enhanced efficiency in the tax system, expanded the tax base, and improved compliance through digital solutions such as TaxPro-Max, e-Invoicing, and USSD (×829#) services. Strengthened enforcement measures, inter-agency collaboration, and improved staff welfare further boosted productivity.

These measures reduced reliance on oil revenues, strengthened non-oil collections, and enabled the Service to exceed its revenue targets between September 2023 and August 2025.

Tax system reforms

Adedeji has introduced several initiatives to simplify the tax system and improve the taxpayer experience. These include: Introducing new tax legislation that aims to reform the obsolete provisions of the tax laws and align the tax system with modern taxation and economic practices.

These tax legislations are the Nigeria Tax Act 2025 (NTA), the Nigeria Tax Administration Act 2025 (NTAA), the Joint Revenue Board of Nigeria (Establishment) Act 2025 (JRBA), and the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Act 2025 (NRSA).

TaxPro-Max: A tax administration system that automates over 80% of manual processes, reducing bureaucracy and enhancing efficiency.

National Single Window Initiative: A platform that facilitates fast and easy trade operations at ports, harmonising government revenue and promoting economic growth.

– One-Stop Shop: A streamlined tax office operation that caters to diverse taxpayers by category, improving customer satisfaction and reducing complaints.

– Unbundling of administrative groupings in the Service: The groupings were hitherto based on tax types, but Adedeji’s model is based on functions designed to increase the taxpayer experience.

Digital innovation

The FIRS has made significant strides in digital innovation under Adedeji’s leadership. He has effectively introduced new integrated modules on:

– TaxProMax: Automating tax processes and enhancing efficiency in tax payment.

– Leveraged technology: To block revenue leakages, ramp up revenue collection, and enhance taxpayer experience.

– Expanded integrated tax administration systems: Creating seamless, efficient, and transparent processes that redefine the taxpayer experience. He established self-service centres in the field offices to help taxpayers navigate the seamless tax payment processes.

Customer-centric focus of the Service:

In FIRS, there are three recognised categories of customers: taxpayers, vendors, and staff. Understood in this sense, Adedeji emplaced processes that ensure effective customer mapping and customer satisfaction journey.

He underscored his customer-centric approach to tax administration by saying, ‘We are committed to fair tax administration through responsive and accessible service to optimise revenue for national development.’

Notwithstanding these achievements, Adedeji remains focused on improving Nigeria’s tax-to-GDP ratio, which is far below the African average. To address this, the FIRS has set an ambitious target to raise the ratio to 18% within the next few years.

As Adedeji embarks on his second year at the FIRS, Nigerians should expect more successes as he leverages his expertise to advance Nigeria’s economic growth and fiscal sustainability. With a clear vision and strategic roadmap, the FIRS is poised to continue playing a pivotal role in shaping the country’s future.