The Nation
Ekiti leads Nigerian States in IGR growth – Report
Ekiti State has topped the rankings for improved Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) among the 36 states of Nigeria, as revealed in a recent report by the Joint Tax Board during its 155th meeting in Suleja, Niger State.
According to the report, Ekiti State’s IGR saw a significant increase from N17.03 billion in 2022 to N29.82 billion in 2023, representing a 75% growth rate.
This remarkable improvement has been attributed to better reporting practices and significant growth in revenue collection, driven by the effective governance of Governor Biodun Oyebanji.
His administration’s efforts have reportedly fostered greater voluntary tax compliance among citizens.
The report also highlighted Ekiti State’s advancement in the Total Collections Ranking, where it moved up to 16th position, having previously been ranked among the bottom five.
Additionally, the state showed considerable progress under the Direct Assessment Parameters, climbing from 33rd to 15th position.
However, it still ranks 25th in Withholding Tax collections and 28th in collections from Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).
Chairman of the Ekiti State Internal Revenue Service, Olanitan Olatona, expressed optimism that all MDAs would continue to enhance their collections and reporting.
He emphasized that while the state government has not introduced new taxes, it has successfully deployed technology to reduce leakages and simplify payment processes, contributing to the impressive IGR growth.