By Adewunmi Oluwaseun
The Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria has warned that the continued use of outdated manual tax collection methods could cripple the ability of the Federal Government and states to meet their revenue targets.
Speaking at the Pre-induction Orientation Programme in Abuja, CITN President Samuel Agbeluyi described the current manual approach as a major threat to Nigeria’s fiscal health, calling it inefficient, error-prone, and susceptible to fraud.
“Many states are unable to hit their targets because of these outdated systems.
“People lose faith in paying taxes when they see no clear link to development,” Agbeluyi said, addressing the 2,000 new inductees expected to drive tax reform across the country.
He stressed the need for full digitalisation of tax processes to widen the tax net, reduce leakages, and enhance transparency.
“Manual systems simply cannot track the full range of taxable activity in today’s economy,” he noted, urging new members to champion technological reforms and help build a tax system that works.
The orientation included hands-on training sessions by top tax professionals, preparing the inductees to support federal, state, and local governments in modernising their tax structures.
Agbeluyi also challenged the new tax professionals to ensure no state is left behind in adopting smart, reliable, and efficient tax systems.
