The executive chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service FIRS, Dr. Zach Adedeji, has shown remarkable capability in his role.
He is a seasoned accountant, tax administrator, and public officer who specializes in corporate taxation and public finance development.
He previously served as the Commissioner of Finance in Oyo State under former Governor Late Abiola Ajimobi, where he demonstrated a deep understanding of fiscal planning and economic matters.
He implemented significant reforms during his tenure that greatly improved the state’s financial standing.
Adedeji implemented significant economic reforms, including establishing the Treasury Single Account (TSA), which streamlined government revenues and expenditures.
Despite his relatively young age, Dr. Adedeji was able to make substantial positive changes during his time as Commissioner, leaving a lasting impact on Oyo State’s finances.
In 2021, while serving as the Executive Secretary of the National Sugar Development Board, he implemented policies that led to significant growth, development, and increased revenue generation for the country.
He demonstrated exceptional leadership, leaving the agency with an outstanding track record establishing the Nigeria Sugar Institute and extending the Sugar Backward Integration Program, which today has laid a solid road map for Nigeria’s sugar development and sustainability growth.
When appointed as the Special Adviser to the President on Revenue by the Bola Tinubu administration, there was widespread anticipation of his ability to leverage his financial expertise to drive economic prosperity. He was later appointed and confirmed as the Executive Chairman of the FIRS.
His goal upon assuming the position of Chairman of the FIRS was to generate over N11.56 trillion for the agency, a target he swiftly met and surpassed with over N816 Billion, earning him a well-deserved commendation.
He also introduced technological advancements to simplify tax matters and improve communication with taxpayers. Under his leadership, the FIRS fostered a conducive environment for growth and implemented impactful fiscal reforms in areas such as Innovation and Technology, Voluntary Tax Compliance, Data-Driven Strategies, Open-Door Policy, and Tax System Simplification.
Additionally, the Service transitioned from annual filing of Transfer Pricing Returns and Country-by-Country Reporting notifications to the TaxPro-Max Platform, while also waiving previously imposed administrative penalties in line with Income Tax Regulations.
As FIRS chairman, he emphasized the importance of optimizing the collection of IGR for national development. He also reached out to tax evaders, providing them with an opportunity to fulfill their tax obligations.
This has led to an increase in tax collection, resulting in the agency achieving its highest tax remittance in over a decade within just six months. Looking ahead, the agency has set an ambitious revenue target of N19.4 trillion for 2024.
Despite falling short of its tax revenue target for the first quarter of 2024, generating N3.94 trillion as against N4.8 trillion, Zacch is more confident that he will achieve his goal before the end of the year with all necessary apparatus put in place.
For his visionary leadership and blistering performance; Zacch was recently awarded the Nigeria Excellence Award in Public Service NEAPS for Fiscal reforms and innovation in the FIRS.
It seems some cynics are not happy with his smooth performance so in a bid to bring him down; they have resorted to constant blackmail and campaign of calumny using some section of the media to carry out their hatchet jobs.
Regardless of the constant media blackmails and attacks, Zacch maintains his focus on his goal of reforming the tax system in Nigeria and remains committed to his work at FIRS.
Zacch’s detractors may try to bring him down, but he is determined to stay the course and continue his efforts within the bounds of the law.
His character remains unblemished, and he is unwavering in the pursuit of excellence despite the challenges.
