Taxpayers across the country have commended the new national Tax ID portal as fiscal reforms continue to gather momentum.
A cross-section of taxpayers who retrieved their new Tax IDs through the portal described the platform as user-friendly and efficient, noting that it allows quick access without complications.
The Tax ID portal, jointly managed by the Joint Revenue Board (JRB) and the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS), was officially launched on January 1, 2026, as Nigeria’s centralised taxpayer database. The platform enables individuals to obtain a unique 13-digit number using their National Identity Number, while businesses can retrieve theirs using registration numbers issued by the Corporate Affairs Commission and other designated government agencies.
The initiative emerged from efforts to harmonise fragmented taxpayer data across national and subnational systems into a single database. The objective is to improve coordination, strengthen revenue administration, and enhance data security nationwide.
The project forms part of ongoing fiscal and tax reforms implemented by the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, aimed at modernising Nigeria’s tax system and improving transparency.
Feedback from taxpayers was obtained through a structured questionnaire shared across digital platforms such as Facebook, X, Instagram, and WhatsApp, as well as through telephone interviews. The survey targeted users who had attempted retrieval of their Tax IDs and requested details of their experience using the portal.
According to the JRB Help Desk team that conducted the poll, respondents answered four questions, three closed-ended and one open-ended. Responses were subsequently compiled and analysed to assess overall user satisfaction.
The Head of the Help Desk team, Mr. Effiong Abasifreke, explained the process. He said, “we asked the taxpayers four questions. The questions were, ‘how fast was your tax ID retrieval process?’, ‘was the portal simple and easy to navigate?’, ‘did you find the process convenient?’, and ‘how would you rate the portal from your personal experience?’”
He added, “At the end of the poll, we collated all the responses and analysed them. More than 98 percent of the respondents said they had a seamless experience retrieving their Tax ID.”
Participants included both individual and corporate taxpayers from different parts of the country. Amina Yahaya from Abuja shared her experience, saying, “the process was very seamless. It didn’t take up to 10 seconds after I inputted my NIN details when my Tax ID popped up on the screen. I want to commend JRB because this is seamless. I will tell my friends and colleagues to retrieve their Tax ID.”
Another respondent on X, Adedapo (@_aaadedapo), described the process as “seamless for me.” A taxpayer from Lagos State, Oyedemi Jide, said the portal was “simple and easy to use,” while Tonai R., who completed the questionnaire on WhatsApp, stated, “it was so quick to use, very easy, no inconveniences, awesome”.
Corporate respondents also reported positive feedback. Trinity Music Academy indicated that the retrieval process was very fast and convenient, noting that the experience “was amazing.” Succinct Shortlet stated that “the platform was convenient and had a fast-loading time.”
Speaking on the nationwide rollout of Tax ID retrieval, the Executive Secretary of the JRB, Olusegun Adesokan, urged taxpayers who have not yet retrieved their Tax IDs to do so through the official portal.
He stated that the platform was designed as a self-service system to ensure seamless usage, adding that it possesses strong data protection safeguards in compliance with regulations of the Nigerian Data Protection Commission.
Mr. Adesokan also addressed concerns that had circulated before the portal’s launch. He commended taxpayers who had already obtained their Tax IDs and dismissed initial erroneous claims suggesting that financial institutions would enable arbitrary deductions from bank accounts.
He said, “I commend patriotic taxpayers who stood in solidarity with the government on this tax reforms. I thank every taxpayer who was not swayed by the negative propaganda against the reform and the Tax ID.”
He continued, “Now, it is obvious that the speculations that monies will be deducted arbitrarily from people’s bank account from 1st January 2026, was unfounded. It is also obvious that the rumour about automatic taxation of people’s money once they get a Tax ID is also false.”
“Let me reiterate that the tax reforms were well-conceived and they are pro-poor and pro-growth. The reforms have provided a lot of incentives for low-income earners and all categories of taxpayers and businesses”, he stated.
He further noted that implementation of the reforms has begun at both national and subnational levels. According to him, the JRB, alongside partner agencies, remains optimistic about smooth execution and called for continued public cooperation as the reforms progress nationwide.
