FIRS launches e-invoicing platform to boost tax compliance

The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has launched a new electronic invoicing solution to transform how businesses pay taxes in Nigeria.

It is a move aimed at making tax compliance faster, easier, and more transparent.

Zacch Adedeji, FIRS Executive Chairman, disclosed this in a statement by Dare Adekanmbi, his Special Adviser on Media, in Abuja on Sunday.

Adedeji said the e-invoicing solution went live on August 1, following a successful pilot phase which began in November 2024.

The e-invoicing system, also known as the Merchant-Buyer Model, is aimed at making tax compliance easier, faster, and more transparent for all categories of taxpayers.

He said that large taxpayers, which are companies with an annual turnover of five billion naira or more, are expected to be the first to be onboarded on the platform.

“In less than two weeks of the initiative going live, no fewer than 1,000 companies, representing 20 per cent of over 5,000 eligible firms, have so far embraced the solution and commenced integration with the FIRS MBS platform.

“The remaining large taxpayers are expected to come onboard on or before November 1, which is the deadline for all the firms in the category to finalise their onboarding and integration processes.

“MTN Nigeria became the first taxpayer to transmit live electronic invoices to the FIRS, officially ushering in the e-invoicing regime. Huawei Nigeria and IHS Nigeria have also concluded test transmissions and are set to go live in the coming days,” he said.

He added that service providers had been incorporated into the ecosystem, in collaboration with the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), to act as both System Integrators and Access Point Providers.

“These providers will facilitate the onboarding, integration, and invoice transmission processes for taxpayers,” he said.

Adedeji commended all large taxpayers, tax consultants, and service providers for their cooperation and commitment to the success of the e-invoicing project.

He said: “We also acknowledge the genuine efforts of many taxpayers who strove to meet the August 1 deadline but encountered operational constraints.

“In the spirit of encouraging voluntary compliance, the FIRS management has graciously approved a three-month extension of the deadline, with the new deadline now set for November 1.

“The FIRS e-Invoicing implementation team will continue to provide support through stakeholder engagements, including webinars, workshops, and town hall meetings, to ensure a seamless transition for all large taxpayers.”