The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has launched a new Gender Desk and Women Network initiative, pledging to mainstream gender equality across its operations, including planning, budgeting, data collection, and reporting. The move is aimed at making Nigeria’s tax system more inclusive and responsive to the needs of all citizens.
Speaking at the launch event held in Abuja on Tuesday, April 30, the Executive Chairman of the FIRS, Dr Zacch Adedeji—represented by Dr Dick Irri, Coordinating Director, Medium and Government Taxpayers Group—said the initiative reflects the Service’s commitment to embedding equity into its tax governance framework.
“This is a powerful declaration of our resolve to embed equity at the heart of our operations,” said Adedeji. “We aim to position gender equality not just as a constitutional right, but as a strategic imperative in governance, especially within the Nigerian tax system.”
As a key part of the plan, Adedeji announced the immediate adoption of gender-disaggregated data across the TaxProMax platform and all relevant FIRS departments. He also directed that the agency’s Policy, Finance & Accounts, Planning, Research, and Statistics units integrate gender-responsive planning and budgeting into their work.
According to him, “Every program, resource allocation, and impact assessment must be viewed through the lens of gender equality.”
He stressed that the new FIRS Gender Desk and Women Network aligns with Nigeria’s National Gender Policy, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and other global gender equity commitments. He also called for collaboration with the Ministries of Women Affairs, Industry, Trade and Investment, and the Corporate Affairs Commission to develop a standard definition for women-owned and women-led businesses to guide tax policy and business registration practices.
The Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, who attended the launch, praised the FIRS for what she described as an act of “strategic foresight” and said it demonstrated serious commitment to sustainable governance reforms.
“Today’s launch resonates with the mandate I carry under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda to empower 10 million women by 2027,” she said. “Gender equality is not a favour—it is a development imperative.”
She emphasised that real impact lies in implementation and institutionalisation, noting that policy without execution is “hollow” and unsustainable.
Sulaiman-Ibrahim urged the FIRS to make gender-responsive budgeting part of its revenue policy and to ensure its recruitment, promotion, and retention strategies reflect a deliberate push for gender balance. Addressing members of the new FIRS Women Network, she said, “You are now torchbearers. Be a powerhouse, mentor others, and advocate strategically.”
The event was attended by senior government officials, development partners, members of the diplomatic community, and FIRS staff.
