The Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) has announced a ban on cash payments and unauthorized revenue collections, effective from January 1, 2026, as it moves to fully automate its revenue system. The policy was unveiled on Tuesday in Abuja during a press conference addressed by the AMAC Chairman, Hon. Christopher Maikalangu, who described the reform as a firm step to block revenue leakages, strengthen transparency, and improve service delivery across the council.
Maikalangu said the council could no longer tolerate weaknesses created by manual revenue processes, noting that the automation marks the end of an era. “For too long, our revenue system has been undermined by manual processes that created loopholes. By the grace of God, that era ends today,” he declared.
Under the new arrangement, all revenues due to AMAC must be paid only through the official AMAC Smart Tax platform at amactax.ng/payment. Payments made on the platform will go directly into the council’s central Single Account, eliminating cash handling by officials. “We are eliminating cash payments. No official is authorised to collect cash. Every naira paid will go straight into the council’s single account,” he said.
To enforce compliance, Maikalangu announced plans to inaugurate a Special Tribunal Monitoring Task Force in early 2026. He explained that the task force will work alongside environmental cadets and enforcement officers to monitor business districts and communities. “Any individual or business that attempts to bypass this automated system will be apprehended and prosecuted to the full extent of the law,” he warned.
The chairman explained that taxpayers are expected to use amacsmarttax.ng through a mobile application or web browser to complete payments and immediately generate electronic receipts. He cautioned residents to be vigilant against fraud, saying, “If anyone asks you to pay cash or into a private bank account, report it immediately. Any account outside AMAC Smart Tax is fake.”
Maikalangu disclosed that AMAC has generated over ₦5 billion in revenue from January to date, but said the amount falls short of the council’s actual capacity. He pointed to areas such as Maitama, Asokoro, Gwarinpa, Nyanya, Karshi, Dei-Dei and the Abuja airport axis as zones with strong revenue potential. “With the number of hotels, banks and estates in AMAC, there should be no excuse for revenue shortfalls. That is why we are taking these tough decisions to end leakages,” he said.
He added that although some revenue racketeers had been arrested and prosecuted in the past, enforcement would now be tighter, with mobile courts empowered to seal premises of defaulting businesses. “Any hotel or business that refuses to comply will be taken to court or sealed. We will also expose defaulters publicly,” he stated.
Special provisions have been made for market traders who do not own smartphones, allowing them to pay directly into the designated AMAC account at any Zenith Bank branch. The chairman also warned residents and business owners to ignore all demand notices issued before 2026. “Do not pay any demand notice issued before January 2026. Wait for the official council notice directing you to AMAC Smart Tax. If you pay elsewhere, you will pay twice,” he cautioned.
Maikalangu said the automation is essential for funding education, healthcare, and infrastructure across AMAC’s wards statewide programmes.
