The Kano State Internal Revenue Service (KIRS) has disclosed that it is gearing up for the implementation of a new tax law scheduled to take effect in January 2026.
The agency is also intensifying efforts to strengthen compliance through technological deployment, taxpayer engagement, and collaboration with professional bodies.
KIRS Chairman, Dr. Zaid Abubakar, disclosed this on Wednesday during a roundtable at Tahir Guest Palace, organized in partnership with the Partnership for Agile and Climate Engagement (PACE).
The event brought together professional associations to discuss their role in enhancing taxpayer education and preparing for the forthcoming changes.
Abubakar identified Kano’s large informal sector as a major challenge to compliance.
To address this, he said, KIRS is working with traders’ unions and associations to register and monitor taxpayers.
“We have introduced mobile registration kiosks in major markets across Kano to capture more traders into the tax system,” he said.
“We are already seeing improvement in compliance, especially with the use of associations and mobile kits to reach the informal sector,” he said.
To further block leakages, KIRS has deployed a digital solution called Easy Tax, which uses the National Identification Number (NIN) as the Tax Identification Number (TIN) for individuals, while companies are registered with their business numbers.
The Director of Compliance and Enforcement at KIRS, Muhammad Aliyu, explained that the new law will harmonize all levies, fees, fines, and charges, simplifying compliance for taxpayers.
According to him, the legislation introduces key reforms, including zero tax for individuals earning N800,000 or less annually, and mandatory use of TIN for anyone operating a bank account.
Aliyu stressed that professional bodies remain crucial intermediaries between the tax authority and the public, noting that their involvement would help guide citizens in understanding the law, filing returns, and ensuring compliance.
“The new tax law is designed to improve efficiency, block revenue leakages, and boost Kano’s internally generated revenue, thereby strengthening the state’s fiscal sustainability,” he said.
