The agency said the accusation is baseless and risks stirring political tension over an issue it considers routine and technical.

Aderonke Atoyebi, technical assistant on Broadcast Media to the FIRS Chairman, issued the agency’s response, saying the former Vice President’s comments distort how government tax channels actually work. 

She insisted there is no exclusive gateway and no company has been placed above others in the revenue-collection chain.

“The comments by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar are incorrect, misleading, and capable of unnecessarily politicising a purely administrative and technical process,” she said.

The tax authority explained that Nigeria currently operates a broad network of Payment Solution Service Providers. Quickteller, Remita, Etranzact, Flutterwave and XpressPay all run simultaneously, and the system, according to the FIRS, is designed to prevent any single operator from dominating.

The agency repeated the same point in stronger terms: “For clarity, the FIRS does not operate any exclusive or single-gateway revenue-collection arrangement, and no private entity has been granted a monopoly over government revenues.”

Why XpressPayments Entered the Picture

Xpress Payment Solutions Limited was recently listed as a collecting agent under the Treasury Single Account framework, allowing taxpayers to choose its platform, just as they would choose any other, when remitting statutory taxes. 

The FIRS stressed that this does not elevate the company above others, nor does it give it access to government funds.

Atiku Abubakar had argued that this resembles what he called a “Lagos-style revenue cartel”, warning that placing revenue channels in the hands of any politically aligned private operator could undermine public trust. 

He said the decision was made quietly and described the arrangement as state capture masked as innovation.

FIRS Counters Monopoly Claims

The agency dismissed those issues, insisting that PSSPs neither collect revenue nor keep a share of funds. All payments, it said, land directly in the Federation Account without being touched or held by any intermediary.

It reinforced this point again: “All payments made through the platforms go directly into the Federation Account without diversion, intermediaries, or private control.”

The FIRS also noted that recent reforms deliberately opened the space for more providers, not fewer. The intention, it said, is to expand access, increase oversight, and push financial-technology firms to innovate through competition rather than state preference.

Transparency and Reform at the Centre

Responding to Atiku’s claim of the wider process, Atoyebi said the onboarding of service providers is conducted through a transparent and verifiable procedure. She added that national tax reforms must not be reduced to political talking points.

“The reform has come to stay and should not be subjected to mischaracterisation for political gain.”

The agency then urged politicians to avoid framing operational decisions as partisan manoeuvres: “We therefore urge Mr Atiku Abubakar and other political actors to refrain from mischaracterising routine administrative processes for political gain. Nigeria’s tax system is too important to be subjected to misinformation or unnecessary alarm.”

A Continuing Disagreement

Atiku, who has repeatedly criticised the administration’s revenue and economic policies, maintains that placing XpressPayments in a sensitive role weakens institutional safeguards. The FIRS insists the system remains professional, transparent, and insulated from private influence.

National cybersecurity strategies define strategic goals and assign responsibilities for cyber threat monitoring and response across the government.

Inuwa made this known while speaking on ‘Strategies for Increasing Africa’s Cyber Resilience’ at the GISEC Global, a leading gathering place for the cyber-security community in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

The DG said that to protect citizens and assets and genuinely harness the benefits of an increasingly complicated digital reality, Africa cannot afford to be apathetic towards cybersecurity. With the right strategies and approaches, Africa can enhance its cybersecurity posture and build resilience against cyberattacks.

“African nations must work collaboratively to build and implement robust, inclusive, and proactive cyber resilience methodologies and comprehensive approaches to the identification and mitigation of critical vulnerabilities.”

“This includes encouraging the exchange of collective knowledge and intelligence on cyber threats and promoting international cooperation in responding to cybercrime,” he said.

The DG further cited the Check Point Research Report of 2022, which says African countries experienced an average of 1,848 cyberattacks per week, per organization, in 2022, compared to 1,164 globally.

Nigeria, the most populous African country, accounted for the largest number of users, with over 100 million internet users, followed by Egypt with 76 million and South Africa with 41 million. However, these countries, along with Kenya, also account for 60% of the $4 billion annual cost of cybercrime in Africa.

According to Inuwa, “despite these challenges, Africa’s digital transformation projects are gaining momentum, with online shoppers reaching almost 390 million and social media users reaching over 380 million in 2022.

“This growing accessibility is due to increasing mobile device adoption and improved telecommunication systems.” However, the increasing threat of cyberattacks puts our socio-economic security at risk, both locally and internationally.”

Inuwa added that all governments must prioritize cybersecurity and take the necessary measures to strengthen their digital defenses to protect citizens from the threats posed by online attacks.

To boost Africa’s cyber resilience, Inuwa said countries must adopt several key strategies, including; understanding the current cybersecurity landscape in Africa; creating and implementing comprehensive and multi-stakeholder policies and legal frameworks to ensure accountability and incentivize investments in cybersecurity measures; and closing the cybersecurity talent gap by investing in training and development programs to equip our workforce with the necessary skills and knowledge to protect themselves and our organizations against cyber threats.

“We need to invest in the development of robust cybersecurity technologies such as firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and endpoint protection.” These tools can help detect and prevent cyberattacks before they cause significant harm.

“Both the government and private sector must play a role in providing institutional support for cybersecurity, including the creation of dedicated cybersecurity agencies and units, as well as public-private partnerships that allow for the sharing of resources and expertise.

“We must prioritize regional partnerships and cross-border cooperation to combat cyber threats, as they do not respect geographical boundaries. This can include African countries working together to formulate and implement effective responses to cyberattacks and share best practices.

“Finally, national cyber-response plans and specialized Computer Emergency Response Teams (CERTs) for critical infrastructure sectors are essential in ensuring cyber resilience. “These plans should outline the procedures and protocols,” he said.

Kashifu Inuwa, the Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), represented by Dr. Salihu Abdulkareem of the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR), made this remark during the south-south NITDA HACKATHON challenge for young and innovative minds from the region held at the Senate Chambers of the University of Calabar.

He explained that “driving digital innovation and entrepreneurship by challenging Nigeria’s youth to create and develop solutions from inception to commercialization will, no doubt, boost the country’s economy.”

The NITDA Hackathon challenge was themed: “Innovation-Driven Ideas for addressing local challenges in Health, Government, Transportation, Financial Services and Smart city in Nigeria for Social and Economic Development.” 

The DG asserted that digital innovation and entrepreneurship would help fast-track the recovery of other traditional economic sectors by supporting the provision and adoption of indigenous and tailor-made solutions for nationwide implementation of the policy through automation, intelligent processes, and ICT solutions.

He further revealed that NITDA Hackathon 2022 aims to find solutions towards building a digital Nigeria, adding that talented Nigerians are challenged to come up with clearly defined ideas and prototypes of solutions around agriculture, logistics, and security for the swift growth and development of the country.

According to Kashifu, “African continent is full of problems waiting to be solved, this presents the next biggest market worldwide. Nigeria, in particular, has a rapidly growing youthful population by which taking advantage of the market will lead to the creation of jobs, solutions, and revenue flow for the country”, he added.

The DG maintained that collective responsibility is needed to achieve the positive impacts, for which the nation yearns for solutions. He encouraged the young innovators not to relent in their various efforts towards tackling the problems bedeviling the country, saying that such solutions will go a long way in addressing development issues.

He appeals to teeming youths from the region to always showcase their talents which will serve as channels for solutions to some of the problems that require immediate panacea.

He revealed that the program also provides an avenue for young Nigerians to contribute their quota in the solution-finding and provides opportunities for creating jobs both directly and indirectly, keying into the Digital Economy policy that will facilitate the swift growth and development of the country.

Professor Florence Banji Obi, the Vice-Chancellor, University of Calabar, ably represented by Professor Idingesit Akpabio, Chairman, Committee of Deans, the University of Calabar, in her earlier remarks, appreciated NITDA for choosing the University of Calabar for the program. She commended the initiatives and the manner of their implementation across the country for the growth of our nation.

She commented that technology is changing how we do things and has fast-tracked operations processes. “Programs like this are needed to keep the young people busy solving the problems faced by the country, more so that such programs give an avenue for teeming youth to showcase their talents which will help solve those challenges,” she added.

Prof. Obi encouraged participants not to stop at solution finding after this program but to go further in actualizing what they have started, which she believes will bring about solutions to the problems faced in the country.

Winners from the pitching context received cash prizes ranging from N1.5million for the overall Winners, N1 million for the first runner ups, and N500,000 to the second runner ups as the 3-day event came to a close with fanfare and beautiful memories.