All federal government ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) and the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) have been authorized to certify all tax clearance certificates (TCCs) presented by companies and individuals involved in public procurement processes.
The minister of finance, Kemi Adeosun gave this instruction in a statement issued on Tuesday.
She said the agencies were tasked with the duty of verifying the TCCs before making any payment to government, adding that this followed reports of proliferation of forged tax clearance certificates purportedly issued prior to the introduction of the automated certificates from August 22, 2017. According to her, this new policy is geared towards enhancing the integrity of the tax system in the country.
To verify electronic TCCS (e-TCCs), the circular urged Nigerians to log into https//tcc.firs.gov.ng, click on verify e-TCC link, enter the TCC number and completing the captcha, before clicking on submit to view the TCC number entered.
A statement sent to the media on Monday by the minister’s spokesperson, Oluyinka Akintunde, said for TCCs issued before August 22, 2017, the MDAs and other interest groups were advised to forward a list of the companies and photocopies of the certificates to the Executive Chairman, FIRS for authentication.
The verification of the TCCs by the FIRS, the statement said, would be completed within 72 hours of receipt.
The minister however reminded company directors that possession of an unverified TCC was an offence, although she did not state the punishment.
The now outdated manual system, she explained, allowed the production of forged TCCs.
“Companies and individuals in doubt as to the authenticity of their TCCs are advised to take advantage of the Voluntary Assets and Income Declaration Scheme (VAIDS) to regularise their tax documents.