Accountability and Policy Monitoring, and the Emerging Leaders And Value Orientation for Youths Initiative Respond to Calls to Investigate FIRS Chairman, Zacch Adedeji
PRESS RELEASE
December 8, 2025
The Accountability and Policy Monitoring group, together with the Emerging Leaders, and Value Orientation for Youths Initiative, expresses full solidarity with the Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Mr. Zacch Adedeji. We affirm our unwavering confidence in his competence, integrity, and exceptional service to the nation.
Over the years, Nigeria has struggled to fund critical developmental projects. Upon assuming office, Adedeji introduced reforms that ensured seamless project funding, enabling the country to meet its obligations without delays. This major challenge was resolved in less than two years of his administration.
Also, he initiated a comprehensive overhaul of Nigeria’s tax system, a reform expected to generate additional billions of naira, block leakages, and improve consistency in tax payment nationwide.
Despite spearheading these reforms, Adedeji has never fallen short of his year-on-year targets. Instead, he has consistently surpassed them. His prudent and adroit management of the tax system has also contributed significantly to the unprecedented growth of Nigeria’s foreign reserves, as the government is no longer compelled to draw from them to finance projects.
His tenure has also improved the welfare and operational standards at FIRS. A key example is the completion of the long-delayed FIRS headquarters building, which had remained stalled for decades but was finally delivered under his leadership.
We consider the recent call for screening and investigation to be distracting, unnecessary, and unacceptable. It appears to be politically motivated at a time when Nigeria is on the verge of achieving a stronger and more efficient tax system.
We are aware that many individuals aspire to shunt him aside to occupy his position. However, Adedeji is currently driving a critical transformation that has elevated FIRS to NRS and attracted nationwide admiration and should be allowed to complete this vision. Anyone who believes they can contribute more should wait until his tenure is completed. As the vision bearer of the reform, he deserves the opportunity to lay the right foundation.
At this sensitive moment, making boastful claims or pushing for needless investigations only hampers national progress. Such actions undermine the major tax reform project currently underway and pose a threat to the development Nigeria is poised to achieve.
We therefore call on law enforcement agencies to thoroughly investigate those instigating these calls and expose them. These individuals are the true enemies of national progress and do not stand for the good of the country.
As an organization that consistently conducts due diligence across ministries and agencies, we know who is performing and who is not. We know who needs replacement and who does not. In our assessment, Mr. Zacch Adedeji is delivering results, and Nigeria stands to gain even more if he is allowed to stay focused on the crucial work at hand.
Signed:
Accountability and Policy Monitoring,
National Coordinator
Comrade Lateef Bamidele
08-11-2025
