Nigerians must show evidence of tax payment to get International Passport

isaac dachen

November 29, 2016 4:30 PM

Despite the hardship currently witnessed in the country, the government has finalized plans to burden Nigerians with a more stiffer tax regime.

A copy of the Nigerian passport

The Federal Government has perfected plans to make Nigerians pay more taxes despite the

This much was made known by the Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Tunde Fowler who posited that to get an International Passport, Nigerians must show evidence of paying taxes or they will be forced to pay the backlog they owe before they can get the passports.

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Fowler made this pronouncement on Monday, November 28, 2016, at the 136th meeting of the Joint Tax Board held in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, which had the theme:

'Increased Inter-Agency Co-operation to Enhance Tax Compliance and Optimise Revenue Collection.'

Fowler said:

“We did take a position and I believe it would be implemented in the very near future that before you get any services from the immigration department, renewal of passports etc, you’d have to show that you are a tax payer.

These things are normal all over the world, in an effort to serve Nigerians and Nigeria better.

People believe that payment of tax is a burden and I’ll repeat that you only pay tax on income and profits.

So if you reside in Nigeria and you are benefiting from being a Nigerian resident, it is only fair that you contribute to the system that makes you enjoy that standard of living.”

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But many Nigerians have kicked against the numerous taxes they are being made to pay even as things are still not looking up for the citizens of the country occasioned by the ongoing recession.

isaac dachen