‘Atiku’s comment misleading’ - FIRS defends Xpress Payments engagement
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The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has dismissed former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s criticism of the appointment of Xpress Payment Solutions Limited as one of the platforms under its Treasury Single Account (TSA) revenue collection framework, describing his claims as “incorrect and misleading.”
In a statement signed by Arabinrin Aderonke Atoyebi, Technical Assistant on Broadcast Media to the FIRS Executive Chairman, the agency warned that Atiku’s remarks risk “unnecessarily politicising a purely administrative and technical process.”
Atiku had alleged that the appointment of Xpress Payments represented an attempt to revive an Alpha Beta-style revenue cartel reminiscent of what he claimed operated in Lagos State during President Bola Tinubu’s tenure as governor.
But the FIRS said the assertion was false, insisting that no private entity has been granted a monopoly over federal revenue collection.
“For clarity, the FIRS does not operate any exclusive or single-gateway revenue-collection arrangement,” the statement said.
“The system is a multi-channel, multi-PSSP (Payment Solutions Service Provider) framework involving several long-established platforms, including Quickteller, Remita, Etranzact, Flutterwave, and XpressPay.”
According to the agency, the PSSPs form part of a transparent and competitive ecosystem designed to make tax payment more convenient for Nigerians.
It further clarified that PSSPs are not collection agents and do not earn processing fees or revenue percentages. All funds paid through the platforms, the statement noted, go directly into the Federation Account without diversion or private control.
Highlighting the key features of its collection model, the FIRS said the system intentionally accommodates multiple PSSPs to give taxpayers more options and eliminate the dominance of any single service provider. It added that the framework also supports innovation, job creation and market expansion within the financial technology sector.
The agency emphasised that the onboarding of PSSPs follows a clear and transparent procedure that ensures fairness and equal opportunity.
The agency noted that the expanded framework improves efficiency through enhanced monitoring and reporting, thereby enhancing national revenue performance.
The FIRS described the ongoing national tax reforms driven by the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms as central to modernising Nigeria’s economy. It stressed that the reforms are anchored on transparency and broad stakeholder engagement and should not be dragged into partisan debate.
“We urge Mr. Atiku Abubakar and other political actors to refrain from mischaracterising routine administrative processes for political gain,” the agency said, reaffirming its commitment to professionalism and transparency in strengthening Nigeria’s revenue systems.
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