The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has entered into a landmark cooperation agreement with France to modernise Nigeria’s tax administration through digital tools, improved capacity and enhanced cross-border tax enforcement.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed in Abuja by FIRS Chairman Zacch Adedeji and France’s Ambassador to Nigeria, representing the Direction Générale des Finances Publiques (DGFiP), one of Europe’s most advanced revenue agencies.
At the heart of the partnership is a drive for “digital transformation” — Nigeria aims to draw on France’s experience with automated compliance systems, data-driven audits and efficient taxpayer service platforms, while France stands to gain from Nigeria’s rapidly expanding digital economy and youthful, tech-savvy population.
Beyond technology, the collaboration also emphasizes workforce development. Nigeria hopes to adopt France’s structured human-capital systems — professional standards, continuous training and organizational discipline — while offering insights from its own experience managing a diverse and dynamic workforce.
The MoU further includes cooperation on international taxation, information exchange, transfer pricing and tackling tax base erosion and profit-shifting. The agreement comes just weeks before Nigeria formally transitions from FIRS to a new structure, the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS), slated to begin operations in January 2026.
Officials say the deal underscores a shared ambition to build a “stronger, more resilient and forward-looking” tax system — one that is transparent, globally connected, and capable of keeping pace with changing dynamics in digital commerce and cross-border business.
