…Property Enumeration App to drive new land revenue regime

The Enugu State Internal Revenue Service (ESIRS) has announced a drastic reduction in land use charges payable by property owners across the state  as part of measures to encourage tax compliance and broaden the state’s revenue base.

The Chairman of ESIRS, Mr Emmanuel Ekene Nnamani, disclosed this on Monday while briefing journalists on the activities and achievements of the agency in its three years under his leadership.

Under the revised arrangement, property owners in Independence Layout now pay N70,000 annually, while those in Abakpa pay N20,000. Owners of village houses, according to Nnamani, will pay N10,000 annually as land use charge.

Nnamani also announced plans to commence the implementation of a Property Enumeration App, which will facilitate the identification and enumeration of properties across the state and provide a database for the assessment and collection of land use charges.

He said students would be engaged to participate in the enumeration exercise, with each student expected to receive payment on a weekly basis, based on the number of houses enumerated.

According to him, the initiative would help ESIRS establish an accurate property register while creating opportunities for students to earn income through the exercise.

Nnamani explained that the Property Enumeration App would assign identification to properties and their owners, making it easier for the government to determine taxable properties and improve compliance.

He said the exercise was part of ESIRS’ broader strategy to expand the tax net and bring previously untapped sources of revenue into the formal revenue system.

The ESIRS chairman said the agency was also expanding its revenue collection activities to o other  areas including haulage fees, land use charges, capital gains tax, stamp duties and withholding tax.

He disclosed that withholding tax would soon become operational in the state, urging individuals and organisations required to deduct the tax to ensure that the deductions were properly remitted to the government.

Giving an insight into the performance of ESIRS under his leadership, Nnamani said the agency had recorded a significant increase in internally generated revenue since 2023.

He said the state generated N37 billion in 2023, rising to N108.5 billion in 2024, while revenue increased substantially to N406.7 billion in 2025, representing tax and non-tax revenues.

Nnamani attributed the growth to the reforms introduced under Governor Peter Mbah’s administration, particularly the autonomy granted ESIRS and the deployment of technology for revenue collection.

He said the agency inherited a system characterised by poorly motivated personnel and fragmented revenue collection, but the autonomy granted by the state government enabled ESIRS to embark on fundamental reforms.

“Our Governor came with disruptive innovation and now it is time to give account,” Nnamani said.

He explained that the autonomy granted to ESIRS was backed by legislation, transforming the agency into a one-stop shop for revenue collection in the state.

According to him, ESIRS moved away from a mono-payment gateway operated through Interswitch and expanded the system to seven payment gateways, including UPS and Flutterwave.

He said taxpayers could now make payments through banks, transfers and more than 300 Point-of-Sale (POS) terminals, including from the comfort of their homes and even during weekends.

The development, he said, had significantly improved convenience and reduced opportunities for revenue leakages.

Nnamani said the agency also embarked on extensive training of its personnel and declared an emergency in which every staff member was required to have access to a laptop or tablet.

He added that ESIRS invested in reliable internet connectivity and solar energy to ensure that its operations were not disrupted by power challenges.

The ESIRS chairman said the agency had also banned cash payments as part of measures to strengthen transparency and accountability in revenue collection.

He said several revenue agencies that previously operated independently had been unbundled and brought under a centralised system, while ESIRS collaborated with relevant unions and revenue agencies to improve its operations.

According to him, the reforms were particularly significant in the informal sector, where revenues were previously paid to non-state actors before the new system was introduced.

Nnamani urged residents and businesses to familiarise themselves with the state’s tax laws, stressing that the agency was not interested in imposing arbitrary taxes but in ensuring compliance with existing legislation.

He said the law provides for certain exemptions, but taxpayers seeking exemption must undertake the required tax filing.

He noted that ESIRS was currently not implementing some provisions of the tax law to their full extent, citing the provision requiring the payment of one per cent of turnover in certain circumstances.

“We are only collecting N36,000 and people are complaining. I’m a tax collector and you have to convince me why you should not pay,” he said.

He urged taxpayers to study the tax laws and understand their obligations rather than evade payment.

The ESIRS boss further disclosed that the state was collecting Development Levy from new construction projects, noting that between 20 and 25 new buildings were being commenced daily across the state.

He said the levy was N150,000 in Enugu North Local Government Area, N100,000 each in Enugu South and Enugu East, N80,000 in Nsukka, while the rate for other local government areas stood at N50,000,”and you must pay to be permitted to commence development of the property”.

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He said ESIRS was also strengthening the collection of capital gains tax, particularly from property transactions, as well as stamp duty.

Nnamani maintained that the objective of the reforms was to create a sustainable and transparent revenue system capable of funding government programmes without placing undue pressure on taxpayers.

The chairman also dismissed concerns that the ongoing tax reforms were designed to frustrate businesses, particularly Igbo traders.

He said the forthcoming implementation of enhanced tax-compliance measures at both the federal and state levels should not be misconstrued as an attempt to shut down businesses.

According to him, the reforms are aimed at ensuring that individuals and businesses fulfil their statutory tax obligations.

“It is not aimed at shutting down Igbo business. People should pay their taxes and not evade it,” he said.

Nnamani said ESIRS would continue to expand the tax net while deploying technology to make payment easier, improve transparency and ensure that revenue due to the state was properly collected.

He said the agency’s ultimate objective was to build a modern revenue administration system in which taxpayers could meet their obligations conveniently while the state  would accurately account for every naira collected.

The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has said its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, remains the most popular opposition candidate capable of leading a proposed coalition to challenge President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.

The National Publicity Secretary of the NDC, Osa Director, stated this while reacting to efforts by the G100, a group seeking to facilitate the emergence of a single presidential candidate among opposition parties ahead of the election.

Director said the NDC had been approached by the group and was not opposed to its proposal, but insisted that the candidate chosen to lead the opposition coalition should be the “brightest, best and most popular” among the presidential contenders. According to him, the NDC believes Peter Obi meets those criteria.

“The G100 has approached the NDC and we are not opposed to their suggestions. However, we are of the opinion that the brightest, best and most popular candidate in the opposition should lead the coalition, and that is our presidential candidate, Peter Obi,” he said.

He added that the NDC expected the G100 to act in the broader interest of Nigerians as discussions continue over the possibility of presenting a single opposition candidate against the incumbent.

“We want to believe that the G100 is working in the interests of Nigerians. At the end of the day, it is the electorate that would determine who leads them,” Director said.

The development comes amid growing efforts by opposition groups and political parties to explore a possible alliance ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

The proposed arrangement is aimed at bringing opposition presidential candidates together to consider the possibility of presenting a single candidate against President Tinubu, who is seeking another term in office.

While discussions around opposition unity continue, the NDC’s position is that popularity and acceptability among voters should be key considerations in determining who ultimately leads any proposed coalition.

Former Anambra State Governor and 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has called for urgent government action to halt the wave of killings, abductions and destruction of communities in parts of Nigeria.

Obi, in a statement posted on X on Sunday, said recent deadly attacks in Benue, Plateau and Niger states had highlighted the worsening security situation in the country.

He described the three states, which are located in Nigeria’s North-Central region, as the latest areas to suffer attacks that have claimed scores of lives and displaced residents.

Obi cited the attack in Jwak Maitumbi, Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State, where he said at least 23 people were officially reported killed, while residents put the death toll at more than 30.

He added that over 45 houses were reportedly destroyed in the attack.

The former governor also referred to recent attacks in Borgu, Niger State, where reports indicated that more than 40 people were killed and over 100 others abducted, although he acknowledged that the figures remained contested.

Obi said the situation in Benue was equally troubling, with communities facing repeated attacks, killings, abductions and destruction of homes and livelihoods.

“What is happening in Benue, Plateau and Niger is similar to what is happening elsewhere in the country, with some attacks even going unreported,” he said.

According to him, the recurring attacks should no longer be viewed as separate incidents but as a broader national security crisis requiring a coordinated response.

“Nigeria is not officially at war, yet citizens are being attacked in their villages, abducted after prayers, driven from their homes and stripped of their farms,” Obi said.

He urged the federal, state and local governments to take immediate measures to protect vulnerable communities and prevent further attacks.

Obi called for improved intelligence gathering and rapid-response capabilities, as well as intensified efforts to rescue abducted Nigerians and apprehend those responsible for the violence.

“I urge governments at all levels to wake up to their responsibility and take urgent and decisive action to end this madness once and for all,” he said.

The former presidential candidate said the government should focus on preventing attacks rather than merely responding after lives had been lost.

“We cannot keep counting bodies after every attack. We must prevent these attacks before they happen,” he said.

Obi stressed that the protection of lives and property remained the fundamental responsibility of government.

“Protecting lives and property is the most basic duty of government. Nigerians deserve nothing less,” he said.

He concluded by warning against allowing the deteriorating security situation to become normalised, declaring: “Nigeria must not become a killing field.”