What They Don’t Want You To Know About Tunde Fowler, New FIRS Boss

Tunde Fowler Is In Town, Who Is Afraid Of Paying Taxes?

If Revenue Generation Is The Topic, Tunde Fowler Is The Teacher

A new, often comical if not dangerous, trend has emerged in Nigeria’s political sphere since May 29, spearheaded by groups and individuals, aptly named the wailing wailers by Femi Adesina. Their job description is the criticism of every action and inaction of President Buhari’s administration, and yesterday on their workboard of deliverables was finding fault with the appointment of Williams Babatunde Fowler as (acting) Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS). It is a familiar script. Probably owing to the lack of creativity of this trend leaders, the same modus operandi has been employed in the aftermath of the appointment of Mrs Zakari at INEC Chairman, and many others.

The case, as they put it, against Tunde Fowler, an internationally acclaimed tax and revenue consultant, is that he is a stooge of former Governor of Lagos and National Leader of ruling party APC. Nigerians know President Buharito be a thorough man whose decision-making process, especially when it comes to appointments, is of the highest possible standard. So what informed the President’s choice of Fowler – the very things the wailing wailers want to distract you from? To put it simply, Tunde Fowler is the man who paved the way for the economic independence of Lagos State, a feat envied by some and admired by all other states in Nigeria.

With the global collapse of oil price, Nigeria’s economic survival is now hinged on the discovery and full utilization of alternative streams of revenue. Out of all the 36 states, only Lagos presents a perfect model that can, and should be copied by the new federal government under President Buhari. The Lagos model of economic independence and prosperity was established on the foundation of an efficient and accountable tax system, built and operated for 10 years by Tunde Fowler.

Tunde Fowler left the banking industry in 2004 after 20 years of meritorious service to join the Lagos State Government and was appointed the pioneer Permanent Secretary/ Executive Chairman of the Lagos State Board of Internal Revenue in November 2005. At that time the monthly allocation due to Lagos State from the federation account was being withheld by the then president, and Lagos desperately needed to restructure its economy and focus on internally generated revenue to execute infrastructural and social security projects.

In January 2006, the LIRS was generating an average of N3.6 billion per month, but through Tunde Fowler’s astute reforms that figure increased 6 folds in 8 years to N20.5 billion per month in 2014. Indeed, data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has shown that the IGR of Lagos State in 2013 – N384.25 billion – exceeded the total sum generated by 19 states put together. This explains in part why like the biblical Goshen, Lagos has been spared the plague of unpaid salaries of civil salaries currently ravaging most states in Nigeria.

The NBS data further reveals that Lagos State managed to generate N722.62 billion in 3 Tunde Fowler years (2008 to 2011) compared to Kano State for example which generated only N23.11 billion in the same period. Lagos State currently stands as the only state in Nigeria whose IGR triples its Federal Allocation. Lagos would be left with only N2 billion out of the N6 billion it gets from the Federation Account monthly after salaries and allowances have been paid. Yet Lagos has spent over N500 billion on capital projects in the last 8 years, most of the funds coming from tax revenue brought in by Tunde Fowler and his men at the LIRS.

Before his appointment, Tunde Fowler left Lagos monthly IGR at N23 billion, with more than 4.5 million residents registered as regular tax payers. No other state in Nigeria can boast of a database of tax payers as comprehensive as what Tunde Fowler put together in his 10 years at LIRS. His job was made easier by the fact that he ran a most transparent and accountable tax system. Lagos residents can see what their taxes are used for and are encouraged to pay to aid further development. Lagos tax collection system is efficient and transparent due to various processes put in place and an efficient team comprising mainly of young graduates.

The rebuilding project of President Buhari is a capital intensive marathon that requires the exploration of all options for a more diversified economy – an end to the wanton corruption witnessed in the last administration and recovery of all stolen funds, and more importantly increase the federal revenue generation base through a better, more transparent and effective tax system. And who else is more qualified to lead that reform than the man who has done it for Nigeria’s largest economy – Tunde Fowler.