Muhammad Nur Tijjani
Gov. Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano State has called on Northern states to strengthen collaboration in implementing tax reforms and digital transformation to boost revenue generation and ensure sustainable development.
Yusuf made the call on Wednesday at the second day of 2025 Northern Revenue Conference held in Kano.
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The conference, with the theme “Readiness, Reforms, and Digital Transformation,” brought together policymakers, fiscal experts, and revenue administrators from across the northern states to discuss emerging trends in tax administration.
Represented by the Commissioner for Planning and Budget, Alhaji Musa Shanono, the Governor said effective revenue management remained central to good governance and economic growth.
He said his administration had prioritised fiscal reforms and digital innovation to improve transparency, efficiency, and accountability in public finance.
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Yusuf commended the Kano State Internal Revenue Service (KIRS) for its progress under the leadership of Dr. Zaid Abubakar, describing it as a model for other states to emulate.
He said the enactment of the 2025 Nigerian Tax Laws had ushered in a new era in the country’s fiscal policy, encouraging states to embrace innovation and technology in tax administration.
Yusuf added, “The new framework compels us to think more strategically, collaborate more effectively and act more decisively.
“We must expand our fiscal frontiers beyond traditional boundaries and harness the potential of the informal sector, SMEs, and the growing digital economy.”
He emphasised integrity and accountability as the foundation of effective governance, saying:
“Integrity is fundamental in whatever we do. When it is missing, energy and intelligence are wasted,” he said.
Also speaking, the Chairman, Kano State Internal Revenue Service (KIRS), Dr Zaid Abubakar, has called on state revenue agencies to embrace digital innovations and institutional reforms to enhance efficiency and transparency in tax administration.
He said the era of manual processes and guesswork in tax administration had passed, stressing the need for precision, digital competence and strong leadership in driving fiscal reforms.
“The 2025 reform agenda requires us to be strategic, data-driven and technology-oriented.
“The era of guesswork in tax administration is over. We must move towards systems that ensure accountability, accuracy and convenience for taxpayers,” he said.
The KIRS Chairman urged participants to use the conference as a platform to share ideas, strengthen collaboration and build networks that would promote a more efficient and taxpayer-friendly revenue system across the northern states.
He reaffirmed the commitment of the Kano State Government to continue investing in digital transformation and capacity building to support sustainable revenue growth and fiscal stability