The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has rejected former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s allegations regarding the engagement of Xpress Payment Solutions Limited as a platform under its Treasury Single Account (TSA) revenue collection system, describing the claims as “incorrect and misleading.”
In a statement signed by Arabinrin Aderonke Atoyebi, Technical Assistant on Broadcast Media to the FIRS Executive Chairman, the agency warned that Atiku’s comments risk “unnecessarily politicising a purely administrative and technical process.”
Atiku had accused the FIRS of attempting to revive an “Alpha Beta-style revenue cartel” reminiscent of Lagos State under President Bola Tinubu’s governorship. He called for the immediate suspension of Xpress Payments’ appointment pending public scrutiny and full disclosure of contractual terms, beneficiaries, and fees.
The former vice president claimed the move “creates a private toll gate around public revenue” and alleged that it amounted to “state capture masquerading as digital innovation,” questioning why the process lacked legislative input or stakeholder engagement.
Responding, FIRS insisted that Atiku’s assertions were false, clarifying that no private entity has been granted a monopoly over federal revenue collection. The agency noted that the TSA operates a multi-channel, multi-PSSP (Payment Solutions Service Provider) framework that includes established platforms such as Quickteller, Remita, Etranzact, Flutterwave, and XpressPay.
The FIRS explained that PSSPs do not act as collection agents nor earn processing fees; all funds go directly into the Federation Account. The agency described the framework as transparent, competitive, and designed to improve convenience, foster fintech innovation, create jobs, and enhance revenue monitoring.
“The onboarding of PSSPs follows a clear, transparent procedure that ensures fairness and equal opportunity,” the statement said, urging political actors to avoid mischaracterising administrative processes for partisan purposes.
The FIRS also highlighted the ongoing national tax reforms driven by the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, emphasising that they are anchored on transparency and stakeholder engagement and should not be politicised.
Atiku, however, maintained that introducing such policies amid worsening insecurity was “insensitive” and called for a legal framework that prevents private proxies from interfering with government revenue systems, insisting that “Nigeria’s revenues are not political spoils.”
The TSA, first recommended by the World Bank in 2004 and implemented federally since 2015, consolidates government revenues into a single account to promote transparency, curb leakages, and enhance fiscal discipline. While the policy has tightened controls on federal revenue, debates continue over the role of private firms in its operation and associated procurement processes.
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