The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), in collaboration with Arojah Concepts and Sprezzatura Publishing Ltd, has hosted a book launch on taxation to mark this year’s Children’s Day celebration.

The event, held on Tuesday at Merit House, Maitama, Abuja, launched the book “Taxation: Essential Knowledge for Nigerian Children” to introduce Nigerian children to the fundamentals of taxation.

The executive chairman of FIRS, Zacch Adedeji, represented by his special adviser on research and statistics, Aisha Hamman, said the FIRS had conducted research and discovered that tax compliance is positively correlated with tax education.

Mr Adedeji emphasised that when children are educated, they grow up to be responsible citizens who pay their taxes and do what is right.

He disclosed that while the FIRS’ study found that only 19 per cent of Nigerians pay taxes, other studies suggest that 10 per cent, and some research showed that 10 to 15 per cent of citizens pay taxes. He noted that this was low compared to other African countries.

“So we have come up in the FIRS with initiatives to ensure that we partner with other government institutions and individuals like this one, you know, to propagate, encourage, educate on the awareness for our younger ones.

“Why? Because it is easier to make younger children become tax compliant when they grow up than reformed tax dodging adults,” the FIRS boss said.

He said that although FIRS has the mandate to collect and remit funds to the government, it does not have the mandate to ensure or enforce the implementation of these funds.

However, the service ensures public spending is done transparently and judiciously.

Mr Adedeji noted that once tax education is included in schools’ curricula, FIRS is confident that the mindset of the Nigerian child will change regarding taxes.

He also mentioned that FIRS’ target is to collect N20 trillion in taxes for 2025 and achieve more in the future through the harmonisation of tax reforms and tax bills.

”We are sure that in the future, we will make more than 20 trillion because we know that there are leakages here and there; the FIRS is trying to close those loopholes, trying to ensure that many people are profitably taxed, so we are sure that we will meet that target and we will even do better in the future with the Nigerian Revenue Service,” Mr Adedeji said.

Aderonke Atoyebi, the technical assistant on broadcast media to the FIRS executive chairman and co-author of the book, said it addresses civic responsibility, governance, and the importance of taxation.

Ms Atoyebi said the FIRS, in conjunction with the publisher, SpectraZura, has printed over 60,000 copies that will be distributed to various schools, including universities and libraries.

The event was attended by the book publisher and managing director of Sprezzatura Publishing Ltd, Mohammed Abubakar, as well as schoolchildren and heads of organisations.