The Plateau Inland Revenue Service (PSIRS) has introduced an “intelligent” revenue billing system for ease of taxation.

The billing system, Plateau Intelligent Revenue Billing System, was unveiled on Thursday in Jos.

PSIRS executive chair Jim Wayas said at the launch that data would drive the system.

He said PSIRS would collaborate with the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) and use the National Identity Number (NIN), Bank Verification Number (BVN) and other relevant details to achieve the goal.

“Without revenue, the government cannot do anything, just like without blood, nothing can function in a human being. As a people, we are trying to put ourselves together to support the government in terms of revenue generation, not only through taxes but through all forms of revenue.

“We have created a platform whereby if you interrogate all the revenue sources – taxes, fines, levies, school fees and whatever revenue that government generates – they go into a single billing system,” Mr Wayas explained.

He added, “The billing system helps us to gather data and help us match data with NIN, BVN, where a person comes from, phone number and other relevant details. When we came here, we discovered that we were doing taxes the normal way, and I told them that taxes can no longer be driven by paper.

“Tax is driven by data because data is the new oil for Nigeria. We are going to drive this process by data.”

He said until data of every person in the state would be gathered, taxation would not be adequately achieved.

Governor Caleb Mutfwang commended the initiative.

(NAN)