The Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) has criticised the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) over its recent Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with France’s Directorate Générale des Finances Publiques (DGFP), warning that the agreement poses risks to Nigeria’s sovereignty and data security.
In a statement signed by its National Chairman, Falalu Bello, the opposition party said the MoU on digital transformation and information exchange amounted to an “outsourcing of Nigeria’s tax data management to a foreign government.”
The PRP said it viewed the agreement with “serious reservations,” arguing that allowing a foreign entity access to Nigeria’s tax infrastructure could expose the country to economic manipulation, surveillance and long-term dependency.
“Any nation that cedes control of its tax data to foreign entities risks eroding its economic independence and compromising its national security,” the party said.
The PRP added that assurances by FIRS officials defending the MoU were insufficient, insisting that the full contents of the agreement must be made public to enable informed scrutiny.
According to the party, foreign-controlled digital tax systems could expose Nigeria to espionage, economic sabotage and what it described as “digital colonisation,” while also giving external powers undue leverage in future trade and financial negotiations.
The PRP accused the Bola Tinubu-led administration of pursuing “neo-colonialist” policies, alleging that the MoU with France undermines Nigeria’s fiscal sovereignty.
The party called for the immediate termination of the agreement, arguing that Nigeria’s tax reforms and digital infrastructure should be handled exclusively by local institutions.
It urged the government to rely on homegrown technology firms and financial infrastructure providers, including the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS) and indigenous fintech companies, rather than foreign governments.
Concerns over TSA revenue collection
The PRP also faulted the appointment of Xpress Payment Solutions Limited as a Treasury Single Account (TSA) revenue collecting agent for the federal government.
It described the move as a replication of what it called a “dangerous revenue collection model” previously associated with Lagos State, raising questions about transparency and accountability.
The party queried the need for a new collecting agent, noting that federal revenue collection had improved in recent years under the existing system.
It also demanded clarity on the ownership of Xpress Payment Solutions Limited, the percentage of revenue the company would retain as fees, and whether the appointment followed an open and competitive procurement process.
“These are fundamental questions that must be answered in the public interest,” the PRP said.
Call to National Assembly
The party called on the National Assembly to urgently intervene by enacting data sovereignty safeguards ahead of the commencement of Nigeria’s new tax law in January 2026.
It urged lawmakers to subject both the FIRS–DGFP MoU and the appointment of Xpress Payment Solutions Limited to legislative scrutiny, warning that tax data represents the “heartbeat of the economy.”
The PRP also appealed to civil society organisations and citizens to resist what it described as attempts to hand over Nigeria’s fiscal infrastructure to foreign interests or private cartels.
“Nigeria’s economic future depends on keeping our digital and financial systems firmly in Nigerian hands,” the statement said.
The PRP said it would continue to oppose any arrangement it believes could compromise national sovereignty or short-change Nigerians in the name of revenue collection.
