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The Federal Capital Territory Internal Revenue Service is proving that tax administration can be modernised through a deliberate convergence of technology, workflow redesign, and human capital development. At the heart of this transformation is TaxPorta—a platform that is redefining revenue mobilisation in Nigeria’s capital. By Ayokanmi Ogunwumiju. Director of ICT, Federal Capital Territory Internal Revenue Service.
Digital transformation is often presented as a simple before-and-after story. At a revenue authority, however, there is no pause between the two.
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Taxpayers must continue to file and pay. Tax officers must remain productive. Sensitive information must stay protected. Collections cannot be interrupted while systems are redesigned, data is migrated and new capabilities are introduced.
That was the challenge confronting the Federal Capital Territory Internal Revenue Service – and it became the foundation for TaxPorta.
The challenge was not simply to build new software. It was to redesign and strengthen revenue administration without interrupting the operation it served.
A Mission-Critical Responsibility
When I joined FCT-IRS in early 2024, I assumed responsibility for one of the Service’s most important operational assets: the Revenue Management System supporting tax administration across Nigeria’s capital.
The scale of that responsibility quickly became clear. The environment served approximately 1.6 million taxpayer accounts, supported more than 800 internal users and processed an estimated ₦750 million in payments on an average day. A disruption would affect more than technology; it could affect businesses, taxpayers, government operations and public confidence.
I inherited a capable 43-person ICT team. My predecessor, Mr. Oduba Oduba, had established a strong foundation, while Senior Manager James Olukotun provided experienced operational leadership and invaluable institutional knowledge.
At the time, the department operated through three principal divisions: Applications and Infrastructure, Information Security, and Helpdesk and Support. The team understood the systems, the users and the realities of delivering public-sector technology at scale. My responsibility was to build on that foundation, strengthen our operating model and prepare the department for a much more ambitious future.
A Mandate for Modernisation
Two months after I joined the Service, Mr. Mike Ango assumed office as Executive Chairman of FCT-IRS.
Drawing on his extensive experience as a tax practitioner and consultant, he brought a clear vision for transforming tax administration in the Federal Capital Territory. He recognised that the limitations of the existing technology could constrain the speed, scale and quality of administration the Service intended to achieve.
Modernisation was no longer optional.
Before beginning the technology transformation, we assessed our own organisational readiness. The department possessed considerable technical talent, but its structure and processes needed to evolve.
Applications and Infrastructure were separated into dedicated divisions, expanding the department from three divisions to four and establishing clearer accountability across Applications, Infrastructure, Information Security, and Helpdesk and Support.
The Executive Chairman’s mandate was clear: move beyond the limitations of the legacy platform and develop a modern revenue-management system capable of supporting the Service’s operational ambitions and aligning with international good practice.
That mandate gave birth to TaxPorta.
Transforming Without Interrupting Service
Replacing a core revenue platform is difficult under any circumstances. Doing so while the existing environment continues to process hundreds of millions of naira each day introduces an entirely different level of complexity.
We could not suspend service while taxpayer records were migrated. We could not ask more than 800 internal users to stop working while new applications were tested. Nor could we compromise security, data integrity or taxpayer access during the transition.
The programme therefore had to address several interconnected priorities:
- Business continuity and system availability
- Taxpayer-data migration and validation
- Application development and integration
- User onboarding and access management
- Cybersecurity and operational resilience
- Reporting and management visibility
- Change management and staff capacity building
- Taxpayer and internal-user support
Operational issues also had to be managed alongside the transformation. Tax officers might identify a discrepancy affecting a statutory filing. A reporting requirement could change. A business unit might need a new workflow or module. Filing deadlines could create sudden onboarding demands.
Each issue required structured triage: assessing the taxpayer and revenue impact, identifying the cause, coordinating the appropriate response, testing the solution and introducing it through a controlled release process.
To the public, there is little distinction between a problem with a digital platform and a problem with the institution delivering the service. Every interaction therefore matters.
Our technology partner, D’Accubin Technologies, has worked alongside the internal team throughout this demanding build-and-improve cycle. As users gain experience with the platform, new requirements emerge and existing processes are refined. Maintaining alignment among the technology team, tax operators, management and the implementation partner has been essential to ensuring that the platform serves the institution as a whole.
The People Behind TaxPorta
Digital transformation is often described in terms of platforms, architecture and features. In practice, its success depends on people.
The Infrastructure Division, led by David Arinze, provides the foundation on which every digital service operates. Its work ensures that the environment remains available, stable and capable of supporting growing demand.
The Information Security Division, led by Amina Doma, protects the platform and the sensitive information entrusted to the Service. A revenue authority is an attractive target for cybercriminals because it holds significant personal, financial and institutional data. Security therefore cannot be treated as a periodic compliance exercise. It must be embedded in everyday operations through continuous monitoring, vulnerability management, access controls, secure change processes and incident preparedness.
The Applications Division translates tax-administration requirements into functional technology. Its professionals develop specifications, investigate defects, test releases and convert user feedback into practical improvements. They operate at the intersection of policy, tax operations and software delivery.
Helpdesk and Support provide the vital connection to the people using the platform every day. Their work helps identify recurring issues, training requirements and opportunities to improve processes and the overall user experience.
The work of these teams is not always visible, particularly when everything is functioning as intended. Yet TaxPorta succeeds only when all four divisions operate as one coordinated unit.
Infrastructure keeps the platform available. Information Security protects it. Applications ensure that it performs its intended functions. Helpdesk and Support enable people to use it effectively.
Building Institutional Capability
Our initial assessment showed that the department possessed strong technical talent. The next step was to complement that talent with greater process discipline, clearer accountability and stronger operational governance.
The TaxPorta transformation has therefore extended beyond technology. It has required us to formalise workflows, document responsibilities, improve escalation procedures, strengthen release governance and invest in the capabilities of our people.
Capacity building is not an optional benefit in a programme of this scale. Modern platforms need teams that can administer them, challenge them, secure them and continuously improve them.
We have placed particular emphasis on training, documentation, knowledge transfer and reducing dependence on individual members of staff. The objective is to create sustainable institutional capability that remains within FCT-IRS and continues to develop long after the initial implementation.
There is no universal manual for transitioning a revenue authority of this scale from a legacy environment while services remain active. Each migration challenge, workflow improvement and software issue has therefore become an opportunity to strengthen both the platform and the institution behind it.
Technology Supporting Measurable Results
The value of a revenue-management platform must ultimately be measured by the institution’s ability to serve taxpayers, equip its employees and administer revenue more effectively.
At the time of writing, the scale of FCT-IRS’s operations included:
| Operational measure | Current scale or objective |
| Average payment value processed | Approximately ₦750 million per day |
| Taxpayer accounts managed | Approximately 1.6 million |
| Internal users supported | More than 800 |
| Annual collection objective | More than ₦450 billion by year-end |
FCT-IRS is working toward surpassing its previous collection performance, with a stated objective of exceeding ₦450 billion in annual collections.
That trajectory cannot be attributed to ICT alone. Technology does not collect revenue in isolation. Results are produced when decisive leadership, skilled tax professionals, effective operations, taxpayer engagement and dependable digital systems work together.
TaxPorta’s role is to provide the digital backbone that enables these different parts of the institution to function more effectively – giving tax officers better tools, improving services for taxpayers, strengthening management visibility and supporting operations at greater scale.
Beyond a Software Replacement
Ogunwumiju. Director of ICT, FCT-IR
The most important story of TaxPorta is not one of software defects, migration pressures or late-night interventions. It is a story of institutional ambition.
FCT-IRS recognised that modern tax administration required technology capable of matching its strategic objectives. Under the leadership of Executive Chairman Mike Ango, the Service chose to undertake the demanding work of building a platform suited to its operational realities and future aspirations.
TaxPorta remains a continuing journey of refinement and improvement. But it already represents far more than the replacement of a legacy system.
It reflects stronger governance, clearer accountability, deeper technical capability and a commitment to technology that serves both government and citizens. It also demonstrates what can be accomplished when leadership, tax operations, internal technology teams and implementation partners work toward a shared objective.
FCT-IRS is not simply modernising the tax system of the Federal Capital Territory. It is developing practical experience and institutional capability that can contribute to the wider evolution of digital revenue administration across Nigeria.
The responsibility has been immense. So has the privilege of helping to build it.
