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.

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.

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

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The Executive Chairman of the Kano Internal Revenue Service (KIRS), Dr Zaid Abubakar, says the agency is targeting higher revenue generation through improved customer relations and service delivery.

Abubakar stated this in Kano on Friday during activities marking the 2025 Customer Service Week, which focused on promoting stronger engagement between the service and taxpayers.

Represented by Executive Director Support Services Group, Mr Hamisu Garko, said the agency’s reforms were designed to make taxpayers the centre of its operations, adding that effective communication and quality service remained critical to enhancing voluntary compliance.

“Our taxpayers are at the heart of what we do. We have continued to reform our processes to make revenue collection more transparent, efficient, and customer-friendly,” he said.

According to him, KIRS has introduced new strategies to strengthen the relationship between staff and taxpayers, including capacity-building programmes and regular stakeholder meetings.

“We are training our staff to better understand how to relate with customers because they are the backbone of our operations. Without taxpayers, there will be no service,” he added.

Abubakar said the agency had set ambitious targets for the year, focusing on doubling its revenue generation compared to the previous year through innovation, digitalisation, and enhanced public trust.

“Our goal is to improve our revenue performance by deepening engagement and encouraging voluntary compliance among taxpayers,” he said.

The chairman commended taxpayers for their cooperation and urged them to continue supporting government’s efforts to improve service delivery across the state.

 “We will continue to build a system that prioritises transparency, accountability, and customer satisfaction,” he said.

Earlier, the Director General of Kano State Signage and

Advertisement Agency, Kabir Dakata commended the state government for its prudent management of resources and the ongoing infrastructural transformation across the state.

He said the remarkable progress recorded in the state’s infrastructural development was made possible by the efficient revenue generation system and the transparent use of funds by the administration of Gov. Abba Kabir Yusuf.

“We are witnessing a great transformation in infrastructure, and this would not have been possible without your collective effort,”he explained.

A taxpayer, Mr. Samson Joshua, has urged the Kano State Internal Revenue Service (KIRS) to simplify its payment processes by fully digitising the system to enable residents to make payments conveniently from their homes or offices.

He said that adopting a fully digital platform would not only ease the stress taxpayers experience at physical offices but also improve transparency and accountability in the revenue system.

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