LIRS Gives Employers Deadline to File Annual Tax Returns

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

Employers of labour have been given till Monday, January 31, 2022, by the Lagos State Inland Revenue Service (LIRS) to file their annual tax returns.

A statement signed by the Head of Corporate Communications at the LIRS, Ms Monsurat Amasa, disclosed that failure to adhere to this will attract sanctions.

The statement noted that the only available platform for filing yearly income tax returns in Lagos State remains the LIRS e-Tax portal, which can be accessed via https://etax.lirs.net.

The e-Tax portal is built for the convenience of taxpayers, is easy, convenient and safe, the statement disclosed, advising all businesses and employers of labour to use the portal to file annual tax returns.

The agency quoted its Executive Chairman, Mr Ayodele Subair, as appealing to all businesses and employers of labour resident in the state to do the needful ‘to avoid payment of penalties as well as other statutory sanctions.”

It was stressed that employers have a statutory obligation to file annual income tax returns pursuant to section 81 (2) of the Personal Income Tax Act (PITA) Cap P8 LFN 2004 (as amended).

‘The Act stipulates January 31st as the deadline for filing of annual income tax returns, failing which penalty accrues,’ the statement emphasised.

The LIRS noted that the taxpayer ID of all employees is compulsory for the annual income tax returns to be successfully filed on the e-Tax portal.

“Therefore, all employees and taxable persons within the State are advised to generate a taxpayer ID (where applicable) and file their individual annual income tax returns on the e-Tax portal,” a part of the statement said.

As part of its quest to ease compliance obligations for taxpayers, some members of staff have been stationed at various offices to assist taxpayers with using the e-Tax portal and other filing related issues.

Taxpayers have also been advised to stay safe and adhere to all COVID-19 guidelines as stipulated by the Lagos State Government and the relevant health authorities.