ADC demands FIRS transparency on France tax deal

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has called for the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) to publish the full details of the digital tax reform and revenue administration agreement signed with the French government. The opposition party expressed concerns that the secretive deal could compromise Nigeria’s data security and national sovereignty.

In a statement, ADC Spokesperson Bolaji Abdullahi said the party’s review of expert opinions revealed significant risks associated with the agreement. He criticised the FIRS for failing to clarify what benefits France would derive from the deal, which was signed without proper consultations with Nigerians.

Abdullahi questioned the haste and secrecy surrounding the agreement, saying attempts by the FIRS to explain the concerns have failed to convince anyone that the deal was done in Nigeria’s best interest. He noted that tax matters are about business, not charity, and the FIRS has failed to disclose what France stands to benefit from the deal.

The ADC spokesperson also criticised the federal government for embracing France, saying it appears to have become more Francophone than the French, even as former French colonies are loosening ties. He argued that Nigeria should prioritise local content policies to develop domestic capacity rather than creating dependencies on external actors.

The ADC has called for the full publication of the agreement, proper briefing of the National Assembly, and an independent assessment of its implications for data security, cybersecurity, and national sovereignty. The party demands that the details of the closed-door arrangement be published or the agreement be terminated.

This follows a similar call by the Northern Elders Forum, which demanded the immediate termination of the agreement, warning that it undermines Nigeria’s economic independence. However, the FIRS has defended the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), describing it as a standard, globally recognised cooperation framework focused on advisory support, knowledge sharing, and capacity building without granting France access to individual taxpayer data or Nigerian systems.

The agency emphasised that the partnership adheres to Nigeria’s data protection laws and does not displace local innovators like NIBSS, Interswitch, PayStack, and Flutterwave.