Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has called for immediate termination of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and the French tax authority, Direction Générale des Finances Publiques (DGFiP).
It warned that the agreement poses a grave threat to Nigeria’s economic sovereignty and national security.
In an open letter addressed to the Federal Government, the Senate and the House of Representatives, the forum described the MoU as a “dangerous tax data agreement” that could expose the country’s most sensitive economic information to foreign control.
Signed by NEF spokesperson, Prof. Abubakar Jika Jiddere, the letter noted that the agreement goes beyond technical cooperation and represents what the group termed “an unprotected gateway into the heart of Nigeria’s tax infrastructure.”
It reads in part: “The Northern Elders Forum writes today with grave concern and an overwhelming sense of patriotic duty. Nigeria stands at a crossroads, one that threatens the very pillars of our economic sovereignty, national security, and collective dignity as an independent African nation.
“Yesterday’s signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and the French tax authority, Direction Générale des Finances Publiques (DGFiP), is not a harmless technical collaboration.
“It is a direct, unprotected gateway into the heart of Nigeria’s tax infrastructure, placing our most sensitive economic data into the hands of a foreign power whose engagements across Africa have historically led to economic manipulation, political pressure, and strategic domination.”
But in a reaction, FIRS stated that MoU is a standard, globally recognised cooperation framework focused solely on technical assistance and capacity building.
“It does not grant France access to Nigerian taxpayers’ data, digital systems, or any element of our operational infrastructure,” the body stated in a reaction, yesterday.
FIRS noted that all existing Nigerian laws on data protection, cybersecurity, and sovereignty remain fully applicable and strictly enforced.
The Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS), like its predecessor (FIRS), places the highest premium on national security and maintains rigorous standards for the protection of all taxpayers’ information.
“The DGFiP is among the world’s most advanced tax authorities, with over a century of institutional experience and deep expertise in digital transformation, taxpayer services, governance, and public finance.
“This partnership simply enables Nigeria to learn from that experience. It is advisory, non-intrusive, and entirely under Nigeria’s control.
“Contrary to misconceptions, the MoU does not displace local technology providers. FIRS and the emerging Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) continue to work closely with Nigerian innovators such as NIBSS, Interswitch, PayStack, and Flutterwave.
“The MoU does not include the provision of technical services; it is limited to knowledge sharing, institutional strengthening, workforce development, policy support, and best-practice guidance,” the statement read in part.
