By Adedapo Adesanya
President Bola Tinubu has appointed Mr Zaccheus Adedeji, his Special Adviser on Revenue, as the acting Chairman of the country’s tax collection agency, the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).
The announcement means he will take over from Mr Mohammed Nami, who headed the position until recently and marks a new chapter in the leadership of one of the country’s most critical revenue agencies.
Mr Adedeji, who hails from Oyo State, brings a wealth of experience to his new role and will be seeking to use his knowledge in driving revenue generation and financial management as Nigeria moves to depend less on borrowing.
He is a first-class graduate of Accounting from the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), where he also got his MSc in Accounting and PhD in Public Sector Finance. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN) as well as an alumnus of Harvard Kennedy School of Government.
His career has spanned both private and public institutions, where he was Manager at Procter & Gamble Company (P&G). He was once the Commissioner for Finance in Oyo State as well as the Executive Secretary of the National Sugar Development Council (NSDC).
The appointment comes when the Tinubu-led administration is keen on boosting revenue collection and enhancing fiscal policies.
The President has made it known that he wants to increase its tax to gross domestic product (GDP) ratio from 10.8 per cent to 18 per cent, in line with African peers.
Mr Adedeji’s expertise is expected to be crucial in achieving these objectives and supporting the nation’s economic growth.
As Acting Chairman of the FIRS, Mr Adedeji will oversee the agency’s operations, tax collection efforts, and initiatives to enhance tax compliance.
His appointment is subject to confirmation by the National Assembly.
Modupe Gbadeyanka 
Aduragbemi Omiyale