The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has officially launched its electronic invoicing solution, e-invoicing, marking a transformative step in Nigeria’s tax administration.
Designed under the Merchant-Buyer Model, the platform promises to make tax compliance faster, more transparent, and more efficient for businesses.
What makes this rollout remarkable is that MTN Nigeria became the first taxpayer in the country to transmit live electronic invoices to the FIRS, effectively kicking off the e-invoicing era.
Huawei Nigeria and IHS Nigeria quickly followed, having successfully completed test transmissions and now poised to go fully live.
The platform, which went live on August 1 after a successful pilot phase that began in November 2024, is being deployed first to large taxpayers, companies with an annual turnover of ₦5 billion and above.
In less than two weeks, over 1,000 companies, representing 20% of the 5,000 eligible firms, have already begun integration with the FIRS Merchant-Buyer System (MBS) platform. The rest are expected to complete onboarding before the November 1 deadline.
“In collaboration with the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), we have incorporated service providers as both System Integrators and Access Point Providers to facilitate onboarding, integration, and invoice transmission,” explained Dare Adekanmbi, special adviser on Media to FIRS Chairman, Zacch Adedeji.
FIRS commended early adopters like MTN Nigeria, Huawei Nigeria, and IHS Nigeria for demonstrating leadership and commitment to voluntary compliance.
The service also announced a three-month extension to the onboarding deadline, now set for November 1, 2025, to allow more companies to meet operational requirements.
The e-invoicing solution, part of the National Electronic Fiscal System (EFS), provides real-time visibility into commercial transactions, ensuring the authenticity, accuracy, and completeness of invoices.
By aligning with global best practices, it supports the Federal Government’s revenue assurance drive, reduces tax evasion, and modernises tax administration in line with the Nigeria Revenue Services Reform Act.
With pioneers like MTN, Huawei, and IHS setting the pace, FIRS is confident that the new system will lay the foundation for a single, harmonised source of truth for government revenue, and a more transparent business environment for Nigeria.
