Borno State Internal Revenue Service (BOIRS) generated N28.3 billion internally generated revenues (IGR) in 2024, despite insurgency, and last September’s flood that devasted Maiduguri metropolis and Jere local council areas.

Unveiling the breakdown yesterday, at a press briefing in Maiduguri, the Executive Chairman of BOIRS, Prof. Bello Alhaji Ibrahim, said: “Our revenue target for last year, rose from N19.3 billion in 2023 to N28.3 billion or 47.4 per cent of the collected revenues in December 2024.”

He attributed the about 50 per cent increase in IGR to the digitalisation of over 4,000 business premises and outfits, tax payment convenience, and persuasions.

According to him, other factors that led to last year’s revenue rise, included Governor Babagana Zulum’s grant of two-year tax break for Maiduguri Monday Market businessmen and traders.

Ibrahim noted that the tax break followed last September’s flood disaster that destroyed over 80 per cent of the markets’ shops, goods and services. Besides the tax break, he observed: “The people have supported our revenue services in meeting our revenue targets in 2024, as well as the regular payment of tenements on the various land the business premises and outfits are located in the state.”

Speaking on the challenges of revenue collection, the Executive Chairman pointed out that there were resistance of some local government officials to BOIRS’ tax profiles.

He explained that this led to the reduction in the collection of taxes by seven per cent.