FIRS Nets N1.171 Trillion In First Quarter , 2018 As Fowler Wins ICAN Merit Award

FIRS Chairman, Funds Fowler

The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS ) has collected the sum of N1.171 trillion between January and March 2018.

This is N393 billion more than it collected during the same period in 2017, when the agency collected N778.1 billion in the first quarter.

The N1.171 trillion collection in the first quarter of 2018 represented 51 per cent increase in collection compared to 2017.

The Executive Chairman of FIRS, Tunde Fowler, made the disclosures while speaking shortly after he received the merit award of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) at the 2018 ICAN Annual Dinner and Awards held in Lagos.

According to a statement by the FIRS Head of Communications and Servicom, Wahab Gbadamosi, Fowler was honoured with a Merit Award of the Non-Members Category by ICAN. The FIRS Chairman received the Merit Award last year in the Corporate Member Category on behalf of the FIRS.

Said Tunde Fowler: “The Honourable Minister of Finance, our Royal father and the ICAN Chairman, members of the Press. I am delighted to be called upon to speak on behalf of the \corporate society. For us to receive an award from a group such as ICAN is extremely honourable.

“Lawyers to pride themselves as learned professionals. But accountants play am important role in a country like ours. The corporate world plays an important role too. One of the recipients of the awards today, my good friend the owner promoter of Dangote Group is one of the compliant groups in Nigeria, supporting this economy, the hospitals and other corporate organisations, that are serving this organisation, we thank you.

“Let’s continue to pay our taxes. If we do, we will make Nigeria great again.”

According to the ICAN President, Ismail M Zakari, Fowler was singled out for the Merit Award for the innovative ways he has deployed Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to revolutionise tax administration processes in Nigeria.
Zakari said some of these initiatives include “online filing of returns (e-filing, VAT-collect system, e-Stamp Duty (online stamping of documents and stamp duty payment), e-Tax Receipt (instant issuance of receipts for taxes paid), e-Tax Clearance) and more.

Fowler was also praised for his dogged determination in the tax drive to provide the Buhari administration with the much-needed revenue to fulfil the yearnings and aspirations of Nigerians.

The Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun was also honoured with a Merit Award at the event.

Other recipients of the Merit Award include the Akarigbo of Shagamu, HRH Oba Babatunde Ajayi, a retired Fellow of ICAN, Mrs. Margaret Unubun and Isiaka Abdulrazaq of NNPC.
Also honoured by ICAN in the Corporate Category were the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan and Fate Foundation.

In the posthumous category, the awardees were Late Alhaji Zubair Abdullah and Late Mrs. Uchenna Ifesinachi Erobu.

The Emir of Kano, Malam Muhammadu Sanusi II and Aliko Dangote were also listed as awardees in the non-members category.