NIN Now Serves as Tax ID for Nigerians, FIRS Clarifies

NIN Now Serves as Tax ID for Nigerians, FIRS Clarifies

The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has announced that the National Identification Number (NIN) issued by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) now automatically serves as the Tax Identification Number (Tax ID) for individual Nigerians.

The clarification follows widespread public discussions over provisions in Nigeria’s tax laws requiring a Tax ID for bank account ownership and certain financial transactions.

Speaking during a public awareness campaign on the new tax laws shared on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, the FIRS explained that under the updated tax framework, registered businesses will use their Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) Registration (RC) numbers as their Tax ID.

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According to the Service, the provision is contained in the Nigeria Tax Administration Act (NTAA), which is scheduled to take effect from January 2026. The Act mandates the use of a Tax ID for specified transactions and further strengthens earlier tax identification requirements introduced under the Finance Act 2019.

“The Tax ID unifies all Tax Identification Numbers (TINs) previously issued by the FIRS and State Internal Revenue Services (IRS) into a single identifier,” the Service stated.

“For individuals, your NIN automatically serves as your Tax ID, while for registered companies, your CAC RC number is used. There is no need for a physical card, as the Tax ID is a unique number directly linked to your identity,” the FIRS added.

The clarification is aimed at simplifying Nigeria’s tax administration system, improving compliance, and reducing the need for multiple identification numbers across government agencies.

NIN Now Serves as Tax ID for Nigerians, FIRS Clarifies