“Your NIN is NOT your Tax ID”: Insider exposes what media got wrong about Nigeria’s new tax system

Against widespread media reports claiming that Nigerians’ National Identification Numbers (NIN) will automatically become their tax IDs when new tax reforms take effect, an insider has confirmed a critical distinction that your NIN can be used to generate your tax ID, but it is not your tax ID.

This clarification comes from a source with direct knowledge of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) system integration, who explained that the government has created an entirely separate tax identification system that works alongside, not as a replacement for, the NIN.

“The NIN has its purpose, which is for identification,” the insider revealed. “You cannot have the NIN and then imagine a database that identifies businesses and individuals, and then you want to have one that is alphanumeric and another one that is all numeric. To make sure there is one universal tax number, what they decided to do is to have a 100% numeric system for both businesses and individuals.”

The confusion appears to stem from how seamlessly the new system works. FIRS has integrated with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) database, allowing Nigerians retrieve their tax IDs instantly using their NIN on the government website.

How your NIN generates your Tax ID

The process is surprisingly simple and free. Nigerians can visit taxid.firs.gov.ng, enter their NIN along with basic verification details like first name, last name, and date of birth, and the system will display their unique tax ID. The same applies to businesses using their Corporate Affairs Commission registration numbers.

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“As long as you have a NIN, what they are saying is they’ve already created the tax ID for you,” the source explained. “You don’t need to register like you do for BVN or other services. You don’t need to stress yourself. As long as you are registered and have a NIN, they automatically created one for you.”

Screenshots from the FIRS website confirm this distinction. When users input their NIN and verify their identity, the system responds with a message stating: “Your NIN has been successfully verified and matches a Tax ID in our system.” It then displays a completely different number labelled as “Your Tax ID,” proving these are two separate identifiers.

This setup solves a longstanding problem in Nigeria’s tax system. Previously, each state maintained separate tax registrations, creating chaos for citizens who moved between states or conducted business across state lines. The new unified tax ID, while generated using NIN data, creates one consistent number that follows individuals and businesses nationwide.

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The distinction might seem technical, but it matters for understanding how Nigeria’s evolving digital infrastructure works. Your NIN remains your identity number. Your tax ID, while generated from that identity information, is a separate number specifically designed for revenue and taxation purposes across all states.

For Nigerians concerned about the changes, the message is that you do not need to take any action. If you have a NIN, you already have a tax ID waiting for you in the system. Simply visit the FIRS website whenever you need to retrieve it.

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