The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has said it would begin to connect its automated tax administration system to access for tax purposes in 30 days’ time.
The technological tool is designed to help the revenue agency access relevant records, data or information stored or otherwise residing in computers or other electronic devices (including cloud computing facilities) maintained, operated, controlled or owned by tax payers.
The FIRS made the statement in a public notice that was obtained by the OBSERVERS TIMES yesterday.
In the notice that was signed by FIRS chairman Muhammad Nami, the agency said: “The Federal Inland Revenue Service (the FIRS) shall, not earlier than 30 days from the date of publication of this notice, begin to connect its Automated Tax Administration System to access, for tax purposes, relevant records, data or information stored or otherwise residing in computers or other electronic devices (including cloud computing facilities) maintained, operated, controlled or owned by relevant persons or their agents.
“The connection shall include relevant point of sales or invoicing platforms of all taxable individuals, enterprises, companies and entities. Relevant persons are required to grant FIRS access to all computers, electronic devices or cloud computing facilities wherein records, data or information are stored or otherwise residing (Section 26, FIRS Act).”
Nami said the tax agency was FIRS establishment Act 2007 as amended by section 51 of Finance Act 2019. The notice was wgiven to the general public, tax practitioners and, particularly, all taxable persons (including individuals, trustees, partnerships, companies, corporations.
“The attention of the tax paying public is drawn to the penalties prescribed in Section 26(3) of the FIRS Establishment Act for Failure to grant the necessary access,” the FIRS chairman said in the notice.
