Gombe positions fourth in digital tax administration

The Gombe State Government on Wednesday said it has reaffirmed its status as one of Nigeria’s most reform-driven subnational governments by emerging fourth nationwide in the latest national assessment of digital maturity in tax administration.

The ranking was unveiled during a high-level Validation Workshop on Digital Public Infrastructure and Intelligence Revenue Authority Index Tools, organised by the Nigeria Governors’ Forum in partnership with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, in Abuja.

According to the report, Gombe State earned an impressive score of 80.6%, receiving outstanding ratings across all parameters used to evaluate the digital capabilities of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory in managing tax administration.

This was contained in a press statement signed by the Director-General, Press Affairs, Gombe Government House, Ismaila Misilli, saying other states joining Gombe in the top five are Bayelsa, Borno, Kano, and Delta, each surpassing 80 per cent in the overall assessment.

Ismaila Misilli, Director-General, Press Affairs, Gombe Government House, disclosed this in a press statement, which said that other states joining Gombe in the top five are Bayelsa, Borno, Kano, and Delta, each surpassing 80% in the overall assessment.

The evaluation focused on key performance indicators to include: digital onboarding of taxpayers, integration with national identity and payment systems, automation of compliance monitoring, data security, advanced analytics, and the digital proficiency of personnel.

Aisha Adamu, Executive Chairman of the Gombe State Internal Revenue Service, whose tenure has seen a transformative shift in the state’s revenue administration, built on a foundation of digitisation, transparency, and operational efficiency, represented the state at the workshop.

Since assuming office, the executive chairman has overseen the full automation of tax processes, introduced user-friendly platforms for taxpayers, blocked revenue leakages, and improved service delivery, resulting in enhanced voluntary compliance and a consistent rise in internally generated revenue.

Adamu credited the remarkable achievement to the visionary leadership of Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, CON, whose steadfast investments in digital infrastructure, institutional reforms, and human capital development have laid the groundwork for fiscal transformation and innovation in the state.

“This milestone reflects His Excellency’s commitment to innovation and excellence in governance. We are proud of this recognition and even more committed to surpassing it on our journey to a smart economy.

“Our appreciation also goes to the people and taxpayers of Gombe State, whose cooperation and compliance are the true drivers of this success,” the statement partly added.

The GIRS boss also commended her team for their dedication and professionalism, emphasising that the recognition is not just a reward for past efforts but a call to sustain the momentum towards building a more transparent and digitally resilient tax administration.