If you follow Nigerian political news, you might have seen a sudden flare-up involving the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. It centers on a company called Xpress Payments Solutions Limited and how your taxes travel from your bank account to the Federal Government’s pocket.
There is a lot of noise, claims of “monopolies,” “secret agents,” and “private toll gates.” But if we strip away the politics, what is actually happening? And more importantly, how does this affect you when you need to pay your Company Income Tax (CIT) or VAT next month?
Here is the full, deep-dive story into the FIRS’s latest move.
The Headline: What Actually Happened?
In mid-November 2025, the FIRS officially appointed a fintech company, Xpress Payments Solutions Limited, as a collecting agent under the Treasury Single Account (TSA) framework.
In plain English:
Previously, when you went to the FIRS TaxPro Max portal to pay your taxes, you likely used Remita to process that payment. Now, FIRS has added Xpress Payments as another option. It’s like walking into a supermarket and finding out you can now pay with a new card reader, not just the old one.
The FIRS says this is about efficiency. They don’t want to rely on just one channel (like Remita) because if that channel goes down, tax collection stops. They want a “multi-channel” system where taxpayers have choices.
The Controversy: Why is Atiku Angry?
The news sparked a firestorm when former Vice President Atiku Abubakar issued a strong statement. He alleged that this appointment was a “dangerous attempt” to create an “Alpha Beta-style” revenue cartel—a reference to the controversial tax consulting firm in Lagos State.
Atiku’s fears were centered on two main things:
- Monopoly: He claimed Xpress Payments was being handed a monopoly to collect federal revenue.
- Commissions: He worried that this company would be taking a “cut” or commission from the trillions of naira in taxes collected, enriching private interests at the expense of the nation.
The FIRS Clapback: “No Monopoly, No Commission”
The FIRS, led by Zacch Adedeji PhD, wasted no time in firing back. They released a statement dismissing Atiku’s claims as “incorrect and misleading.” Here is their side of the story, broken down into facts you can verify:
1. It is NOT a Monopoly
FIRS clarified that Xpress Payments is just one of many. They are not replacing Remita; they are joining a roster. The current approved payment channels (Payment Solution Service Providers or PSSPs) now include:
- Remita (SystemSpecs)
- Interswitch (Quickteller)
- Etranzact
- Flutterwave
- Xpress Payments (The new entrant)
2. The “No Commission” Rule
This is the most critical part for the public to understand. FIRS stated explicitly: “PSSPs do not earn a processing fee per payment, nor a percentage of revenues.”
This is different from how some state-level consultants work. In this TSA arrangement, if you pay ₦1,000,000 in CIT:
- ₦1,000,000 goes straight to the Federation Account at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
- Xpress Payments (or Remita) does not take 10% or 5%.
- Note for the Payer: While the government doesn’t pay them a commission from the tax, standard banking/gateway usage fees (usually a small flat rate paid by you, the user, for the transaction) may still apply, just like when you do a standard bank transfer.
Who Are “Xpress Payments”?
Since they are the new kids on the block, it’s fair to ask who they are.
- Founded: 2016.
- Leadership: Led by Dr. Markie Idowu (CEO) and recently represented in this deal by Ag. MD Wale Olayisade.
- Track Record: They are a licensed switch and payment processor. They handle electronic collections for various state governments and private organisations. They aren’t a “briefcase company” that popped up yesterday; they have been in the Nigerian fintech space for nearly a decade.
How It Works: The “TaxPro Max” Experience
If you run a business, you probably use TaxPro Max, the FIRS digital portal. Here is how this change looks in practice:
- Login: You log in to taxpromax.firs.gov.ng.
- File Returns: You upload your VAT or CIT documents as usual.
- Generate PRN: You click to generate a Payment Reference Number (PRN).
- Checkout: This is where the change happens. Previously, you might have just clicked “Pay with Remita.” Now, you will see options. You can choose Xpress Payments (labeled as XpressPay) or others.
- Payment: You can pay online using your card/transfer, or take that PRN to a physical bank branch.18 If you use the branch, the teller can now post the payment using the Xpress Payments platform or the Remita platform.
Why Does This Matter to You?
If you aren’t a politician, why should you care?
- Reliability: We’ve all had days where a payment gateway is “downtime.” Having a backup option means you won’t get stuck with a late payment penalty just because one system is offline.
- Speed: More competition usually means better service. If Remita knows you can easily switch to Xpress Payments, they are incentivised to keep their service top-notch (and vice-versa).
Summary
The Federal Government has indeed appointed Xpress Payments as a collector. Still, they are not the only collector, and according to the FIRS, they are not taking a percentage of the country’s tax revenue. It is an expansion of the plumbing system that moves money from us to the government, designed, hopefully, so the pipes don’t get clogged.
