Abuja: The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has launched a new electronic invoicing solution to transform how businesses pay taxes in Nigeria, a move that will make tax compliance faster, easier, and more transparent. The Executive-Chairman, FIRS, Dr. Zacch Adedeji, disclosed this in a statement by Dare Adekanmbi, his Special Adviser on Media.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the e-invoicing solution went live on August 1, following a successful pilot phase which began in November 2024. Large taxpayers, defined as companies with an annual turnover of five billion Naira and more, are expected to be the first to be onboarded on the platform. Within two weeks of the initiative going live, approximately 1,000 companies, representing 20 percent of over 5,000 eligible firms, have embraced the solution and begun integration with the FIRS MBS platform.
MTN Nigeria became the first taxpayer to transmit live electronic invoices to the FIRS, marking the official start of the e-invoicing regime. Huawei Nigeria and IHS Nigeria have also completed test transmissions and are set to go live soon. Service providers have 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.
Adedeji commended all large taxpayers, tax consultants, and service providers for their cooperation and commitment to the success of the e-invoicing project. In light of the operational constraints faced by some taxpayers, the FIRS management has approved a three-month extension of the 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.
The national e-invoicing solution is an electronic fiscal system (EFS) developed by FIRS to provide real-time visibility into commercial transactions and ensure the authenticity, accuracy, and completeness of invoices. It is being rolled out in phases, beginning with large taxpayers, with medium and emerging groups to follow. The system aligns with global best practices and supports the Federal Government’s broader objectives of enhancing revenue assurance, reducing tax evasion, and modernising tax administration. It is also a critical tool in implementing the Nigeria Revenue Services Reform Act, which seeks to harmonise revenue reporting and establish a single source of truth for government revenues.
