TECHNOLOGY glitch and poor sensitisation are hindering tax filing efforts in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as many residents fail to meet the March 31 deadline set by the FCT Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
The ICIR reports that many residents are struggling to file their tax returns, with some making last-minute attempts to beat the deadline and avoid penalties.
The 31 March deadline for tax filing in Nigeria is a statutory requirement for individuals to file their annual income tax returns. This applies to employees under PAYE, self-employed individuals, freelancers, content creators, landlords, investors, and anyone earning income from multiple sources.
At the Kubwa office in Abuja, officials are helping taxpayers navigate the process, but many informal traders are just learning about the requirements.
“Many of them are coming in for the first time to make inquiries,” a tax official, Habib Aliyu, told The ICIR. He noted, however, that manual filing was not an option, as the government used a centralised system to monitor tax inflows.
At the Gwarimpa office of the FCT-IRS, businessmen and civil servants were seen making inquiries and interacting with officials about the status of their tax filing. Some were also seeking answers to tax-filing difficulties they encountered.
“I am here to file my annual tax returns and seek further clarifications since I am not so conversant with their app. I have been struggling to do it on my own, but to no avail. I was advised to come here and a tax officer, Habib Aliy,u has helped me to sort it out, “Femi Ogundipe, who works with a government hospital in Abuja, told The ICIR.
A tax consultant, Kennedy Iwundu, criticised the FCT revenue portal, saying it was not user-friendly, as he called out poor sensitisation of residents and businessmen on the usage
“The FCT-IRS has an existing portal, but people haven’t been educated about it,” he said, adding that many tax consultants were also not familiar with the portal, leading to the rush to the FCT-IRS offices.
Lagos extends tax filing to April 14
Meanwhile, the Lagos State Internal Revenue Service (LIRS) has announced an extension of the deadline for filing individual annual tax returns to April 14, 2026, offering taxpayers an additional two weeks beyond the initial April 1 deadline.
According to the agency, the extension is intended to provide individuals with ample time to accurately complete and submit their returns.
It emphasised that timely tax filing remained a statutory obligation that should be taken seriously by all eligible taxpayers.
LIRS also reiterated that all filings must be carried out electronically via its eTax platform, noting that manual submission had been fully phased out.
Taxpayers were further advised to verify the accuracy of their Tax Identification Number, TaxID, to prevent processing delays or errors.
The directive applies to all individuals earning taxable income, including salaried employees, business operators, self-employed persons, professionals, and participants in the informal sector.
Under existing tax regulations, individuals are required to declare their total earnings for the preceding year, January 1 to December 31, 2025, within the first 90 days of a new assessment cycle.
The development comes on the heels of a similar adjustment earlier in the year, when the agency extended the deadline for employers’ annual returns from February 1 to February 7.
At the national level, Nigeria’s tax administration is currently undergoing reforms, with the introduction of key legislations such as the Nigerian Revenue Service Establishment Act, the Joint Revenue Service Establishment Act, the Nigerian Tax Act, and the Nigerian Tax Administration Act, all aimed at strengthening compliance and modernising the country’s tax system.
Harrison Edeh is a journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting, always determined to drive advocacy for good governance through holding public officials and businesses accountable.