Zacch Adedeji, chairman of the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS), says the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed with France on tax cooperation is a routine operational agreement and poses no risk to Nigeria’s data security.
Speaking recently at an interview on Arise TV, Adedeji said the agreement focuses on technical cooperation in areas such as digital taxation, transfer pricing, modernisation, and international tax administration.
He disclosed that Nigeria has similar arrangements with other countries, including the United Kingdom and South Africa, noting that such partnerships are common among revenue authorities globally.
“The memorandum of understanding is just about operational activities that we do, not only with France,” the NRS boss said.
“It is part of both the old law and the new law to facilitate interaction between us and global tax administration bodies.”
On December 10, the NRS, formally known as the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), signed an MoU with the DGFiP on the promotion of efficient tax administration.
The DGFiP (Directorate General of Public Finances) is an agency of the French government that plays a key role in public finance management, including taxes.
The move had triggered a public outburst as Nigerians questioned the involvement of the French government in Nigeria’s tax affairs.
Speaking on the show, Adedeji dismissed fears over data exposure, stressing that taxpayer information remains confidential and protected by law.
“We are not opening any of our data system to any of this external body. Here in Nigeria, except you have a court order, you can’t take another person’s tax data, because it is like medical reports,” he said.
“There is confidentiality, talk less of exposing that to national organization. So, there is nothing to fear.”
The NRS chairman added that the agreement is a normal operational arrangement Nigeria maintains with several global revenue administrations.
