The federal government said it is considering imposing sanctions on agencies that refuse to share data with sister agencies upon request.
This was disclosed by Taiwo Oyedele, chairman of the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reform Committee, at the first Revenue Assurance Summit in Abuja on Tuesday, October 15.
The event, organized by the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), brought together Internal Revenue Services from all states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Oyedele’s comments came in response to an account given by the Executive Secretary of the Joint Tax Board (JTB), Olusegun Phillip Adesokan, who expressed frustration over a government agency’s refusal to share crucial data with the JTB.
According to Adesokan, the agency demanded payment in exchange for the requested data, which raised concerns about the effectiveness of the government’s efforts to enhance revenue generation.
Oyedele noted the importance of data sharing in driving revenue growth, stating, “We are talking about revenue assurance. We need to bear in mind that even the revenue itself is a means to an end, not an end in itself. It must make a meaningful impact on the lives, livelihood, and well-being of the people for it to make sense.”
He emphasized the need for collaboration among the federal government, state government and various government bodies to ensure a unified approach to economic policies.
“Let’s not be pulling in different directions—states versus federal, or even within federal agencies,” he added.
“A particular agency asked JTB to pay for data. I couldn’t believe it. In the same Nigeria? The government has data, and the government is selling data, and we say the government does not have revenue.”
To address this issue, Oyedele revealed that a law is being drafted to criminalize data hoarding within government agencies.
“We are developing a protocol to ensure integrity, data protection, and other safeguards. We will give you a deadline of 48 hours; if you don’t release the data, there will be consequences,” he warned.
Earlier, Mrs. Hafsat Bakari, Chief Executive Officer of the NFIU, outlined the agency’s efforts to expand its work on tax crimes by collaborating with state-level tax authorities.
Bakari stated that the majority of tax evasion occurs at the state level, and the NFIU’s data on financial transactions could be instrumental in combating this issue.
The NFIU, she explained, has developed a secure platform known as the Crime Records Information Management System (CRIMS), which allows for the safe exchange of intelligence between the NFIU and state Internal Revenue Services.
“Through CRIMS, we have entirely eliminated paper records which are prone to compromise, and we have robust audit mechanisms to ensure we are aware of who is asking for and receiving our intelligence,” Bakari said.
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