The Federal Inland Revenue Service has announced that the National Identification Number issued by the National Identity Management Commission will now automatically serve as the Tax Identification Number for individual Nigerians.
The clarification was made during a public awareness campaign on the new tax laws shared by the Service on X on Monday, following growing public concern over tax identification requirements.
The Service also disclosed that registered businesses will no longer need a separate Tax ID, as their Corporate Affairs Commission registration number will function as their official tax identifier.
According to the FIRS, the policy is provided for under the Nigeria Tax Administration Act, which will take effect from January 2026, although the requirement for Tax IDs has existed since the Finance Act of 2019.
“The Tax ID unifies all Tax Identification Numbers previously issued by the FIRS and State Internal Revenue Services into a single identifier,” the Service said. “For individuals, your NIN automatically serves as your Tax ID, while for registered companies, your CAC RC number is used.”
The FIRS said the reform aims to simplify identification, curb tax evasion and improve transparency.