FIRS Launches Reporting Portal for Financial Institutions

The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) said it has launched a new Automatic Exchange of Information-Common Reporting Standard (AEOI-CRS) system for the use of financial institutions in the country.

This is said is part of its ongoing reforms to align the nation’s tax system with global standards.

According to a statement by the service’s spokesperson, Abdullahi Ahmad, the deployment of the portal was announced by the FIRS chairman, Muhammad Nami.

Mr. Nami in a notice called on reporting financial institutions under the Income Tax (Common Reporting Standard) Regulations 2019 to enroll on the portal.

According to him, the AEOI-CRS system portal is currently live, open, and active. Consequently, all Reporting Financial Institutions are invited to enroll in it.

The reporting financial institutions are commercial banks, merchant banks, discount houses, mortgage and development banks, insurance and life assurance companies, investment advisers, trustees, asset management companies, issuing houses, brokers/dealers, etc.

Explaining the simple process of enrolment, Mr. Nami said that “each Reporting Financial Institution (FI) is required to designate an appropriate officer as Primary User (PU). The PU is the custodian of the FI’s login details on the portal. A letter signed by the Chief Executive Officer of the FI introducing the PU to the FIRS is required as part of the enrolment process.

“In order to enroll as a PU of an FI and have access to related AEOI-CRS documents, please visit the FIRS website at www.firs.gov.ng and navigate the menu tab on Automatic Exchange of Information. Please do this only if relevant contact details have been forwarded to the FIRS. FIs are to further take notice that CRS reports for 2019 are due not later than 30th September 2020.