Nasarawa State Internal Revenue Service has said it currently generates over N2.5 billion monthly as internally generated revenue for the state.

Executive Chairman of NSIRS, Ahmed Yakubu-Muhammad, made the disclosure at the opening of three-day training for some revenue officers on Tuesday in Lafia.

He noted that the state government had earlier in the year set a monthly revenue target of N3 billion for the agency, which he said was achievable in a short period of time.

Mr Yakubu-Muhammad said, “We are on course to hit that target and surpass it. So far, we have reached N2.5 billion and I am optimistic that before the end of 2025, we would have hit N5 billion mark in IGR.’’

He maintained that the steady growth in the state’s IGR was a result of the knowledge, capacity and dedication of the staff members of NSIRS, and challenged them to put in more work in order to meet the set target.

According to him, NSIRS does not have any reason to disappoint Governor Abdullahi Sule giving what he has done to ensure effective service delivery by the revenue body.

He lauded the governor for non-interference in the Service’s operations; making it autonomous and also giving it the free hand to engage new staff members without influencing its decision.

Mr Yakubu-Muhammad said that the essence of the training was to ensure that officers were kept abreast of modern trends and development in tax administration.

He added that some of the participants were those recently employed to widen the scope of the agency’s capacity to increase the revenue base of the state.

The executive chairman urged the participants to take advantage of the training as it would impact on their productivity, which would determine their career progression.

He reiterated the agency’s commitment to the training and retraining of all categories of staff and well as the provision of all necessary working tools.

He said, “We would not sit back and allow the mediocre to do the job. If you do not learn, you will be left behind.”

Mr Yakubu-Muhammad promised that the agency would sustain its award presentation to deserving officers as a way of motivation.

Also speaking, a representative of Pri-Global Ventures, the training firm, Abraham Okpe, said the essence of the training was to bridge the gap between the tax authority and tax payers, especially with the current volatility of the Nigeria economy.

Mr Orukpe said that the training served to empower tax officials on how to educate and convince tax payers on the importance of tax payment.

He challenged the participants to be diligent and consistent in order to become effective and efficient in their job.

Some of the participants, Aisha Hassan and Polycarp Zakaria, thanked the chairman and management of NSIRS for the opportunity of the training.

They extolled the leadership style of the executive chairman, which according to them had fostered a culture of continuous learning, elevated professional capacities and inspired them to always strive for excellence.

The duo also noted that the impact of the agency’s guidance had shaped them into a more cohesive and effective unit.

(NAN)