MAN urges strict enforcement of initiatives to curb illegal road taxes

The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has urged seamless implementation of the Single Inter-State Road Tax Sticker (SIRTS) and Single Haulage Fee (SHF) initiatives to curb illegal road taxes and reduce the overall burden of multiple taxation on businesses across the country.

Director-General of MAN , Segun Ajayi-Kadir, made the call at a strategic dialogue workshop held in Lagos, with the theme, “Sensitisation on Single Inter-State Road Tax Sticker (SIRTS) and Single Haulage Fee (SHF) Initiative”.

The Joint Tax Board introduced SIRTS and SHF to eliminate double taxation and multiple stickers. SIRTS is an electronic sticker, issued yearly during vehicle registration, which allows inter-state movement of goods and vehicles.

Experts say the scheme helps harmonise transport taxes, curbs extortion on highways, and cuts business operation costs.

Ajayi-Kadir described the initiatives as vital to improving Nigeria’s business environment and transport logistics, but expressed concerns over implementation challenges, such as multiple demands, vague payment procedures, and arbitrary enforcement by officers, which have caused delays, higher costs, and frustration for manufacturers.

He stressed that manufacturers are willing to comply but are dissatisfied with the present implementation method.

“We seek fairness and transparency in policies affecting industries. MAN will continue to engage stakeholders to resolve implementation issues and ensure mutual benefit,” he stated, while soliciting a collaborative approach to make SIRTS and SHF more business-friendly and efficient.

In his remarks, Chairman of the Lagos State Internal Revenue Service (LIRS), Dr Ayodele Subair, emphasised the need for joint efforts among stakeholders while listing the initiatives’ benefits for manufacturers.

The LIRS boss who was represented by his Special Adviser, Mr Tokunbo Akande, said the unified system would reduce operational costs, illegal levies, improve goods delivery time, ensure better documentation, supply chain efficiency and increased industry competitiveness.

However, he admitted there were still many implementation challenges to overcome.

“These include pushback from informal collectors and low awareness among transport operators. Other issues include poor coordination among state agencies and lack of digital enforcement tools,” he said.

To address this, Subair called for increased sensitisation involving MAN, unions, and enforcement agencies, and also recommended strict penalties to deter illegal collections on highways.

Also speaking, Chairman of Ogun State Internal Revenue Service, Mr Olugbenga Olaleye, noted that over 20 states had adopted SIRTS.

He said the initiative, if properly enforced, would lead to a transparent, harmonised tax system across states, adding that it would reduce illegal roadblocks, extortion, and restore trust in Nigeria’s road tax structure.

“With one SIRTS sticker from any state, inter-state access is granted nationwide,” he said.

Olaleye further explained that the SHF is a trip-based fee paid between loading and offloading states, not based on contents.

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