EKIRS Clarifies Tax Assessment Notices, Says Agency Focused On Business Growth, Not Shutdowns

The Ekiti State Internal Revenue Service (EKIRS) has clarified that the recently issued tax assessment notices are neither enforcement measures nor the introduction of new taxes, assuring residents that taxpayers have the legal right to challenge any assessment they consider inaccurate.

Speaking at a press conference in Ado Ekiti, EKIRS Chairman Olaniran Olatona urged taxpayers to embrace dialogue and the dispute resolution mechanisms provided by law instead of resorting to protests or social media campaigns.

Olatona explained that a notice of assessment is a statutory requirement under the Nigerian Tax Act, intended to notify taxpayers of their estimated tax liabilities based on available records.

According to him, the notices do not amount to enforcement actions and do not automatically attract sanctions against taxpayers.

He stated that any taxpayer dissatisfied with an assessment has 30 days under the law to file an objection, after which the agency would review the assessment based on evidence provided.

The EKIRS chairman said the agency has consistently encouraged engagement with taxpayers and has, in several instances, reviewed and adjusted assessments where credible evidence showed that the initial figures did not reflect a taxpayer's actual income.

Addressing concerns raised by business owners, Olatona stressed that the agency's priority is to support the growth of businesses rather than force them to shut down through excessive taxation.

He expressed concern that some taxpayers had chosen public protests instead of taking advantage of the legal review process available to them, reiterating the agency's commitment to fairness, transparency and taxpayer-friendly administration.

Olatona also said improvements in technology and data intelligence have enabled EKIRS to generate more accurate tax assessments by relying on broader taxpayer information than was possible under the previous manual system.

According to him, the reforms have helped reduce revenue leakages, improve accountability and encourage voluntary tax compliance without imposing additional burdens on compliant taxpayers.

He disclosed that the agency suspended active tax enforcement in July 2025 to assess the impact of the new tax reforms, adding that internally generated revenue continued to rise through automation and voluntary compliance.

The chairman revealed that Ekiti recorded its highest monthly internally generated revenue of approximately ₦2.7 billion in June 2026, while revenue generated in the first half of the year reached ₦15.6 billion, representing an increase over the corresponding period in 2025.

Olatona appealed to traders, market associations and other taxpayers to engage with the agency whenever concerns arise, assuring them that all legitimate complaints would be treated promptly in accordance with the law.