• Monthly IGR rises to N2.75b

The Ekiti State Government has commended residents and taxpayers for voluntarily complying with tax obligations, saying the state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) rose to a record N2.75 billion in June 2026.

The government said the increase was recorded despite suspending enforcement measures, including roadblocks and the sealing of business premises, since July 2025.

Executive Chairman of the Ekiti State Internal Revenue Service (EKIRS), Olaniran Olatona, disclosed this on Friday in Ado Ekiti while briefing journalists on the agency’s performance and tax administration in the state.

He also assured residents that the state had no plans to introduce new taxes or authorise deductions from individuals’ bank accounts beyond existing tax obligations.

According to him, the Federal Government’s tax reforms, which took effect on January 1, 2026, were aimed at modernising tax administration, improving revenue generation, broadening the tax base and encouraging voluntary compliance rather than imposing additional taxes.

Olatona said the reforms were also designed to reduce multiple taxation and revenue leakages while creating an enabling environment for businesses to thrive.

He noted that contrary to earlier fears that the new tax regime would reduce revenue, collections have continued to increase.

“I am glad to report that the Internally Generated Revenue of Ekiti State has been on a steady rise since the new tax regime. During this period, we paused enforcement to assess the likely impact of the new tax administration laws, yet revenue did not decline. That tells you our growth is built on voluntary compliance, not coercion,” he said.

Olatona said EKIRS generated N13.44 billion in the first half of 2025, representing an average monthly collection of N2.24 billion while enforcement was in place.

He said collections increased to N13.65 billion in the second half of the year after enforcement was suspended, representing an average of N2.27 billion monthly.

According to him, the state generated N15.60 billion in the first half of 2026, a 16 per cent increase over the corresponding period in 2025, while June 2026 recorded a record N2.75 billion, representing a 33.2 per cent increase over June 2025.

He added that monthly collections had remained stable at about N2.74 billion since April, putting the state on course to generate about N31.2 billion by the end of the year.

The EKIRS chairman said although the agency has no powers to reduce taxes, it had supported residents affected by rainstorms and provided water to some communities as part of its corporate social responsibility initiatives.