The Federal Inland Revenue Service has clarified that it has not appointed any private organisation as an exclusive collection agent for the Treasury Single Account system.
This clarification came after former Vice President Atiku Abubakar alleged that Xpress Payments had been selected as a key channel for government revenue collection under the TSA.
In a statement issued by Arabinrin Atoyebi, Technical Assistant to the Executive Chairman of the FIRS, the Service described Atiku’s claims as “incorrect and misleading,” stressing that the remarks risk turning a purely technical matter into an unnecessary political issue. The FIRS emphasised that its revenue collection process remains transparent and inclusive.
According to the Service, there is no exclusive or single-gateway arrangement in the current system. Instead, the FIRS operates a multi-channel structure that includes several long-standing Payment Solution Service Providers. These platforms include Quickteller, Remita, Etranzact, Flutterwave and XpressPay, all of which serve Nigerians across the country.
The FIRS added that PSSPs are not classified as collection agents and do not receive processing fees per transaction or a percentage of government revenue. The agency further explained that all funds collected through these platforms are paid directly into the Federation Account without any form of diversion, control or access by private entities. “No PSSP has custody of government funds,” the statement reiterated.
Providing further details, the agency highlighted key features of the TSA Collection Framework, such as the inclusion of multiple PSSPs, improvements in efficiency, enhanced job creation and the expansion of the digital payments market. It noted that the onboarding process for service providers remains transparent and competitive to ensure fairness across the system.
The statement also referenced the ongoing national tax reforms being led by the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms. According to the FIRS, these reforms form a crucial part of Nigeria’s broader economic modernisation efforts and are aimed at strengthening public finance management and boosting national revenue performance.
