Financial and tax experts in Cross River State have called for the immediate establishment of Local Government Revenue Committees (LGRCs) across the 18 councils.
They said the move is necessary to strengthen tax administration and ensure the effective implementation of the newly signed Nigerian Tax Administration Act, 2025.
The recommendation was made during a meeting of the Joint State Revenue Committee (JOSREC) held in Calabar yesterday with the theme: “Ensuring Effective Implementation of Tax Reforms: Local Government Perspective.”
The gathering, which brought together key stakeholders in the revenue sector, including the Executive Chairman of the Cross River Internal Revenue Service (CRIRS), Prince Okon, representatives from the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), and officials of the Ministry of Local Government Affairs, focused on ways to enhance internally generated revenue (IGR) and reduce multiple taxation.
Prince Okon, who also chairs the JOSREC, explained that the formation of revenue committees at the local government level was in line with Section 93 of the Nigerian Tax Administration Act and would help streamline tax processes for better compliance and accountability.
“What we’re doing at the state level is to cascade what has been done at the national level,” he said. “Our goal is to reduce the tax burden on low-income earners while focusing on high-net-worth individuals to improve revenue without hurting the poor.”
Okon disclosed that under the new system, individuals earning ₦800,000 and below annually would be exempted from paying personal income tax, while the state would implement digital payment and filing systems to promote efficiency and transparency.
Lead facilitator and tax consultant, Dr. Esien Ukorebi, described the reform as “robust and forward-looking,” stressing that it places greater responsibility on local government councils to ensure transparency and accountability in tax collection.
“The local governments must be more organized, transparent, and proactive,” Ukorebi said. “With the automation component of the new law, councils will be able to generate more revenue to fund infrastructure and improve service delivery at the grassroots.”
Participants at the meeting also agreed to intensify capacity-building programs for revenue officers, adopt e-filing and e-payment platforms, and embark on public sensitization to educate citizens on the benefits of the reform.
Okon, while commending the collaboration among stakeholders, urged all tiers of government to work together for a more efficient and transparent tax system that would boost revenue and foster sustainable development.
“If properly implemented, this reform will benefit all levels of government and the Nigerian people,” he concluded.
