The Lagos Internal Revenue Service (LIRS), pursuant to Section 60 of the Nigeria Tax Administration Act, plans to ask Nigerian banks to debit bank accounts of employers who failed to remit tax liability.
This was revealed in a recent notice on Sunday.
LIRS said the move was in line with the implementation of the country’s NTAA and other new tax laws, which took effect on January 1, 2026.
“Where a taxpayer fails, neglects, or refuses to settle any established outstanding tax liability when due, LIRS may exercise its power under Section 60 to direct any of the following persons to pay the amount owed by the taxpayer:
“Banks and other financial institutions; Employers; tenants, debtors, or customers of the taxpayer; Agents, business partners, and any person holding money on behalf of the taxpayer; Any person owing money to the taxpayer, whether presently due or accruing. Once a substitution notice is issued, the person served is statutorily required to remit to LIRS the amount. Specified in the notice from funds belonging to, or payable to, the defaulting taxpayer,” the LIRS notice partly read.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, Taiwo Oyedele, weeks ago dismissed claims that the government would debit personal accounts over tax remittances.
