The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has responded to claims that Nigerians without a Tax Identification Number (TIN) cannot open or operate bank accounts.
FIRS Technical Assistant on Broadcast Media, Arabinrin Aderonke Atoyebi, described the claims as a widespread misconception.
According to Atoyebi, Nigeria’s tax framework has been redesigned to integrate seamlessly with existing national registries.
She added that this means that every individual or entity is automatically identifiable for tax purposes without imposing new hurdles.
“The Tax Identification Number is a 13-digit unique code assigned to all taxable persons and entities in Nigeria. It encodes information such as issuance year, registry source (NIN for individuals, RC Number for corporates), state of registration, and a security fragment.
“Far from being a separate requirement, the TIN functions as a statutory tool that enables the FIRS to uniquely verify taxpayers across the country,” she stated.
Atoyebi also disclosed that for individuals, the TIN is automatically linked to the National Identification Number (NIN) issued by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC). Sun