Zaccheus Adedeji has been appointed as the new acting chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS.

He will take over from Mohammed Nami, whose tenure ends in December 2023.

Zaccheus Adedeji bagged his doctorate degree in accounting from the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. He is a highly qualified and experienced individual, and his appointment as FIRS chairman is a significant development.

Adedeji will face a number of challenges in his new role. The FIRS is responsible for collecting taxes from businesses and individuals in Nigeria. However, tax evasion is a major problem in the country.

The President had directed the outgoing FIRS Chairman, Muhammad Nami, to proceed on 3 months of pre-retirement leave, as provisioned by Public Service Rule (PSR) 120243, with immediate effect, leading to his eventual retirement from service on December 8, 2023.

A statement by Ajuri Ngelale, Presidential Spokesman, said Zacch Adedeji’s appointment is for 90 days before his subsequent confirmation as the substantive Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service for a term of four (4) years in the first instance.

Zacch Adedeji is a first-class graduate in accounting from Obafemi Awolowo University. He most recently served the nation as the Special Adviser to the President on Revenue, following meritorious service terms as the Oyo State Commissioner of Finance and as the Executive Secretary / CEO of the National Sugar Development Council (NSDC).

By these directives of the President, the new appointment takes immediate effect.

Adedeji will need to work closely with the government and businesses to develop new strategies for improving tax compliance. He will also need to address the concerns of taxpayers about the FIRS’s tax collection methods.