Calabar: The Cross River State Internal Revenue Service (CRIRS) has disclosed plans to scale up the state’s monthly revenue generation to N10 billion. Mr Edwin Okon, the Chairman of CRIRS, announced this initiative during a two-day Half-Year Review Session in Calabar, stating that the plan would take effect from January 2026.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Okon emphasized that the agency would leverage newly assented federal tax laws to achieve the target. He highlighted the agency’s progress, noting a 39.7 percent increase in revenue compared to the same period in 2024. “Between January and June 2025, we have generated about N27 billion, compared to N19 billion recorded at the same period in 2024. If we maintain this trajectory, we expect to surpass our annual target of N43.9 billion and achieve between N54 billion and N60 billion by the end of the year,” Okon said.
The revenue service official underscored the role of automation of tax processes and support from the state government in achieving these results. He praised the non-interference of the governor in his role, which he believes has contributed to the agency’s success. Okon also mentioned that the tax reform policies of the Federal Government would alleviate the burden of low-income Nigerians and that the state revenue service has taken steps to curb revenue leakages and integrate state-owned institutions into the revenue collection system.
Additionally, the Commissioner for Finance, Mr Mike Odere, urged the state Ministries of Lands and Housing to enhance their revenue performance in line with the state’s infrastructure investments. “We are imputing a lot of cash into reforms across sectors such as lands and housing, we expect them to triple their revenue targets to justify these investments,” Odere added.
In his address, the Head of Service, Mr Innocent Eteng, emphasized that the state must be strategically positioned to benefit from the new tax laws while effectively managing its abundant natural resources.