By Ayomide Otitoju
The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has announced that the National Identification Number (NIN) issued by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) will automatically serve as the Tax Identification Number (Tax ID) for Nigerians from January 2026.
The move addresses long-standing concerns over tax law provisions requiring a Tax ID for bank account ownership. According to NIMC data, 123.9 million Nigerians had obtained their NIN as of October 2025.
In a public awareness campaign on social media on Monday, FIRS clarified that registered businesses will also have their Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) registration numbers automatically serve as Tax IDs under the new system.
The Nigeria Tax Administration Act (NTAA), set to take effect in January 2026, mandates the use of a Tax ID for specific financial transactions. FIRS emphasized that the requirement is not new, noting that it was initially established under the Finance Act 2019 and has been reinforced by the NTAA.
According to FIRS, the unified Tax ID system is designed to simplify taxpayer identification, reduce duplication, close loopholes for tax evasion, and promote fairness by ensuring all taxable individuals contribute their share.
“The Tax ID unifies all Taxpayer Identification Numbers (TINs) previously issued by FIRS and state revenue services into a single identifier. For individuals, your NIN automatically serves as your Tax ID, while registered companies will use their CAC RC numbers. There is no need for a physical card; the Tax ID is a unique number linked directly to your identity,” the Service said.
Addressing misconceptions about the new tax laws, Taiwo Oyedele, Chairman of the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee, clarified that not all bank accounts are required to have a Tax ID before January 2026. He explained that Section 4 of the NTAA requires taxable individuals—those earning income through trade or other economic activities—to obtain a Tax ID, while non-income earners, such as students and dependents, are exempt.
Oyedele further stated that individuals operating corporate or business accounts since 2020 already possess a Tax Identification Number.
