Kano tax revenue rises as KIRS urges voluntary compliance

The Kano State Internal Revenue Service (KIRS) has urged taxpayers across the state to ensure full and voluntary compliance with their tax obligations, saying revenue generated through taxation remains critical to the execution of development projects by the state government.

The executive chairman of KIRS, Alhaji Bashir Yusuf Maitama, made the call while speaking at the 2026 Customer Service Week and Customer Recognition and Appreciation Day organised by the agency in Kano, Wednesday.

The event, held under the theme, “Going the Extra Mile for Every Taxpayer,” was organised to appreciate taxpayers for their contributions to the development of Kano state and to strengthen the relationship between the revenue service and the people.

Maitama said taxpayers should be regarded as partners in development rather than merely sources of revenue, noting that funds generated through taxation had contributed significantly to the implementation of various projects across the state.

He said the state had recorded significant growth in internally generated revenue in recent months, with collections made within the last three months exceeding the total revenue generated during the preceding six months.

The KIRS chairman attributed the increase to improved cooperation from taxpayers across different sectors, stressing that sustained compliance would further strengthen the state’s revenue base and enable government to provide more public services.

Maitama urged taxpayers to make accurate declarations of their income and businesses and pay the exact amount due within the stipulated period, advising them to use only approved channels when making tax payments.

He warned taxpayers against making cash payments to individuals or officials, stressing that cash transactions were not permitted across KIRS offices and its authorised agents.

According to him, the agency had introduced measures to make tax payments easier, including digital platforms that allow taxpayers to fulfil their obligations without necessarily visiting KIRS offices.

On tax evasion, Maitama described non-compliance as a violation of the law and appealed to eligible taxpayers to meet their obligations for the benefit of the state. He, however, clarified that taxation was based on income and wealth and was not intended to impose an undue burden on people with little or no taxable income.

The chairman also reaffirmed KIRS’s commitment to building a taxpayer-centred revenue administration system in which processes are simplified, relevant information is easily accessible, complaints are addressed promptly and taxpayers are treated with dignity and fairness.