Stakeholders’ support crucial to Nigeria’s digital economy—NITDA

Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa, says stakeholders’ support is crucial to the agency’s task of promoting and supporting enabling environment for Nigeria to develop, create and capture value from the digital economy

Speaking at the 2023 NITDA/Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) stakeholders’ engagements forum, on Tuesday, in Lagos, Kashifu appealed to the stakeholders to imbibe a sense of responsibility to pay their levies on time.

“Looking at the ecosystem, we believe that we cannot succeed in isolation. The ecosystem has five stakeholders with you as the most critical one.

“NITDA is embracing emerging technologies, developing policies and creating an enabling environment for startups and entrepreneurs to survive.

“We believe that with you all, we can build a more prosperous country that can compete globally. We believe in team work and, together, nothing is impossible. We can work together and create a prosperity ecosystem for all,’’ the DG said.

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He, however, highlighted some challenges facing NITDA to include limited infrastructure, skill shortage, limited market access and early-stage funding.

The Executive Chairman of FIRS, Muhammed Nami said that NITDA is funded through payment of one percent of profit before tax of companies and enterprises among others.

Represented by Mr Kabir Abba, Group Head General Tax Operation Group, Nami described FIRS as a key partner with NITDA.

He said that in 2022, FIRS collected and remitted about N168.85 billion on behalf of the NITDA from 2008 to December 2022. FIRS, he said, is continuously implementing initiatives driven by the use of Information Technology.

“Many of such initiatives have been successfully implemented, especially the recently introduced Electronic Tax Clearance Certificate (ETCC).

The Executive Chairman said that FIRS also introduced the TaxproMax solution, which has enhanced compliance and collection of taxes.

Nami said FIRS has deployed technology to ease the burden of tax payment compliance.