The Federal Government has launched the National Electronic Invoicing Inter-Agency Steering Committee to supervise the introduction of a new digital platform called the Merchant Buyer Solution. This platform is designed to improve transparency in business transactions, reduce tax evasion, and enhance revenue generation for national development.
The electronic invoicing platform was officially introduced in Abuja on Tuesday. It is being led by the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) as part of a wider move to upgrade Nigeria’s fiscal and commercial systems using digital tools. The system is expected to track real-time business transactions, improve compliance, and limit fraudulent practices in invoicing and tax reporting.
Mr. Tayo Koleoso, Chief of Staff to the Executive Chairman of FIRS and Chairman of the Steering Committee, said the platform represents more than a simple technology upgrade. He described it as a key national reform that will change how the country manages its tax system and business transparency.
“This initiative is not just a technological upgrade; it is a transformative national project,” Koleoso said. “It is expected to enhance transparency, improve efficiency, and increase revenue mobilisation to support national development.”
He explained that the committee was set up to provide guidance and encourage collaboration among key agencies during the implementation of the digital invoicing solution.
The Lead Consultant to the Steering Committee, Mr. Sadiq Arogundade, added that the Merchant Buyer Solution follows the Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) framework of the Federal Government. He said the platform was built to help standardise the way invoices are created and exchanged, both in the public and private sectors.
According to him, one of the key features of the platform is identity verification. It allows authorities to know the origin and destination of each invoice, which improves the credibility of financial transactions and helps government agencies monitor activities better.
He also mentioned that the new system allows for secure sharing of data, works across borders, and is compatible with Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software already used by large organisations. Arogundade said the first phase of the rollout is targeting large corporate taxpayers, including multinationals with complicated business operations.
Huawei, the Chinese technology company, is already part of the pilot phase. The government plans to expand the platform in stages to include medium and small businesses. This approach, Arogundade said, will make it easier to gather feedback and fix any issues before a full-scale rollout.
He added that the platform is built on international standards using the Universal Business Language framework. It supports the digital creation, verification, and exchange of invoices, which helps to prevent the use of fake or manipulated invoices, a common method used to avoid paying taxes in Nigeria.
The pilot phase of the project is being done in collaboration with major institutions such as the Nigeria Customs Service, the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System, and private sector partners like MTN, UBA, Seplat Energy, and Huawei.
The committee will guide the full rollout of the platform by providing strategic advice, encouraging collaboration among stakeholders, and suggesting changes to legal and structural frameworks where needed.
With this development, the government is taking another step towards modernising Nigeria’s tax administration and ensuring more transparency in the country’s financial system. By tracking invoices in real time, authorities hope to block revenue leakages and encourage better tax practices among businesses.
