By Abdulkareem Haruna 

MAIDUGURI – The Borno State Board of Internal Revenue Service (BOIRS) surpassed its 2024 revenue projections by a significant margin, collecting 28.8 billion naira against a target of 19.3 billion naira, according to Executive Director Professor Ibrahim Bello Alhaji. 

The achievement, he said during a recent press briefing, propels Borno to a national ranking of 12th, placing it just behind Kano and Kaduna states.

“These achievements were made during a period when Monday Markets Limited, Maiduguri’s largest revenue collection hub, was granted a two-year tax holiday following the devastating 2023 fire.”

“This success is not merely a commitment of the board, but a collective achievement,” Alhaji stated, emphasizing the importance of public support and media collaboration. He expressed gratitude for the existing support and called for continued partnership.

The Executive Secretary highlighted that 2024 marked the first full year of his stewardship, during which the board implemented several key reforms. The #the 9 billion surplus realised last year was attributed to a shift towards a “persuasive approach” in revenue collection, coupled with “massive sensitization,” and the complete digitization of the collection process. “I can beat my chest that all through 2024, no business was visited by the tax collection team more than once,” he asserted.

The BOIRS also implemented a disaggregated tax collection system with built-in mechanisms to prevent the accumulation of backlogs and defaulters. “For as long as we are here, taxpayers will continue to owe,” Alhaji remarked, indicating a commitment to continuous improvement.

The board’s success came despite challenges, including the devastating floods that disrupted revenue collection and resistance from local governments to harmonize tax programs, citing their autonomous status.

Looking ahead, the BOIRS has set a target of 25 billion naira for 2025, but internally aims for 34 billion naira. 

“We have put onboard a system that encourages people to voluntarily declare their tax status and assets,” Alhaji explained. He also credited the state government’s visible development projects as a powerful motivator for taxpayers. 

“People see the work being done by the state government and that encourages them to willingly pay their tax,” he said.

The board’s efforts have included the enumeration of 49,000 businesses in Maiduguri, covering various tax categories such as tenement rates, door-to-door collections, advertisement taxes, personal income tax (PIT), and fire rates. The board confirmed that the personal income tax minimum is 10,000 naira.

Professor Alhaji also detailed that the BOIRS also implemented tax holidays for some   startup businesses.