The Federal Inland Revenue Service has moved to calm public anxiety over Nigeria’s new tax laws, announcing that every Nigerian’s National Identification Number is now automatically recognised as their Tax Identification Number.
The clarification, issued on Monday via a public awareness campaign by the FIRS, means individuals will no longer need to apply separately for a Tax ID. In the same move, registered businesses will now use their Corporate Affairs Commission registration numbers as their official tax identifiers.
The announcement follows widespread concern sparked by provisions in the new tax framework requiring a Tax ID for certain transactions, including the operation and ownership of bank accounts.
According to the FIRS, the policy is anchored in the Nigeria Tax Administration Act, which comes into force in January 2026. While the law has renewed attention, the Service stressed that the requirement itself is not new.
Officials explained that the use of a Tax ID has existed since the Finance Act of 2019, but has now been consolidated and strengthened under the NTAA to improve efficiency and compliance.
Under the revised system, all existing Tax Identification Numbers issued by the FIRS and State Internal Revenue Services will be harmonised into a single identifier.
“For individuals, your NIN automatically serves as your Tax ID,” the Service said. “For registered companies, your CAC RC number is used. There is no need for a physical card, as the Tax ID is simply a unique number directly linked to your identity.”
The FIRS said the reform is aimed at simplifying identification processes, eliminating duplication, closing loopholes that enable tax evasion, and promoting fairness by ensuring that all Nigerians who earn taxable income contribute appropriately.
It also urged citizens to ignore misinformation circulating around the new tax laws, assuring the public that the changes are designed to enhance transparency and efficiency rather than create new burdens.
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Further clarifying the implications, the Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, Taiwo Oyedele, confirmed that banks will be required to request a Tax Identification Number from all taxable Nigerians as part of the new framework.
That requirement, he said, will take effect from January 1, 2026, aligning financial institutions with the federal government’s broader efforts to modernise tax administration.
With the unification of NIN, CAC numbers and tax records, authorities say Nigeria is taking a decisive step towards a more streamlined and accountable tax system, even as public education continues ahead of full implementation.
