The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has clarified that Nigerians are not required to obtain a separate Tax Identification Number (TIN) before operating or opening bank accounts.
The clarification followed widespread reports suggesting that, from January 2026, citizens would need to present a TIN to access banking services—a claim that sparked public concern over the possibility of new bureaucratic hurdles.
Reacting to the controversy, the Technical Assistant on Broadcast Media to the FIRS Chairman, Aderonke Atoyebi, said the reports were misleading.In a statement posted on her official X handle, she explained that the TIN framework has been designed to integrate with existing national registries such as the National Identification Number (NIN) and Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) records.
“In recent debates about Nigeria’s tax reforms, a widespread misconception has taken root: that citizens without a TIN cannot own or operate a bank account.
“The reality is that Nigeria’s tax system has evolved to integrate seamlessly with existing national registries, ensuring that every eligible individual or entity is automatically identifiable for tax purposes,” she wrote.
According to her, the TIN is a 13-digit identifier uniquely capturing details of taxable persons and entities. It encodes information such as issuance year, registry source (NIN for individuals, RC for companies), state of registration, and a cryptographic security fragment.
Guardian
