The Executive Chairman of Lagos Internal Revenue Service (LIRS), Dr. Ayodele Subair, has said the remarkable growth of tax administration and internally generated revenue in Lagos State can be traced to the bold reforms initiated by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu during his tenure as governor of the State.
Subair stated this at the Gala night organised to close the 159th meeting of the Joint Revenue Board (JRB) held in Lagos, where tax administrators and revenue stakeholders from across the country gathered for four days to deliberate on ways to strengthen tax systems, improve compliance, and deepen revenue generation nationwide.
According to him, the decision by Tinubu to grant operational autonomy to the Lagos State Internal Revenue Service years ago laid the foundation for success story that has since become a model for several states in Nigeria.
He said, “This story of taxation Lagos was started seriously by our present President, Ashiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who deemed it fit to give autonomy to Lagos State Internal Revenue Service.
“From then on, things changed. Things are still involving and changing because he handed over the baton to very serious governors thereafter. His model is copied in most states in Nigeria. I think the President deserves applause. We are seeing the vision that this Nigerian had, and we all pledge to continue.”
Subair noted that Lagos had sustained the momentum through successive administrations, with visible investments in transportation, public infrastructure funded largely through taxes paid by residents.
The LIRS chief also commended Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo – Olu for delivering robust infrastructural development. He noted that in addition to significant investments in education, health, housing, and urban renewal projects, the multimodal transportation system, which includes: rail, road, and water transport, is a key part of the current administration’s legacy.
He said Governor Sanwo – Olu is doing a great job. This administration is building the multimodal transport system, as witnessed by JTB members. Apart from the rail, you also have road transport through the BRT and then we have the ferry service.
The 159th meeting of the Joint Revenue Board, formerly known as the Joint Tax Board, ran from April 20 to April 23 in Lagos.
The board comprises the Executive Chairman of the Nigeria Revenue Service, Chairmen of all the 36 State Internal Revenue Services, and the Federal Capital Territory and representatives of strategic government agencies, including the Federal Ministry of Finance, National Identify Management Commission, Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, Nigeria Customs Service, Nigeria Immigration Service, and Federal Road Safety Corps.
The meeting featured various activities, including a session of the Finance and General Purpose Committee, followed by meeting of Education Committee on the second day Delegates also took part in excursion to inspect major infrastructural projects carried out by the Lagos State Government. They rode the Lagos Blue Rail from Marina to Mile 2 and visited the iconic Eko Atlantic City.
