The Lagos State Government has announced that its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) has surged to N1 trillion annually, an unprecedented milestone for any subnational government in Nigeria.
Eko Hot News reports that the Executive Chairman of the Lagos State Internal Revenue Service (LIRS), Dr Ayodele Subair, disclosed this at the ‘CIO & C-Suite Conference & Awards Africa 2025,’ attributing the revenue leap to strategic investments in digital infrastructure, automation, and enhanced data governance. Represented by the LIRS Deputy Director of Information Technology, Dr Rasheed Olu-Ajayi, Subair said Lagos transitioned from generating N500 million monthly before 2005 to N1 trillion yearly through deliberate digital transformation.
The event, held at The Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos, brought together innovators, policymakers, and corporate leaders under the theme, “The Digital Tax Shift.” Now in its sixth edition, the platform serves as a continental celebration of excellence and innovation in Africa’s tech ecosystem.
In his keynote address, “Redefining Fiscal Policy in an Era of Innovation,” Subair stated that technology is changing business, taxation, and governance throughout the continent. He pointed out that traditional tax boundaries have been blurred by the digital economy, which is fueled by e-commerce, fintech, virtual assets, and mobile payments. This has forced governments to implement more intelligent fiscal systems.
“The question now is how to effectively govern in a digitised world, not whether to digitise,” he stated. He emphasised that the foundation of LIRS’ transformation is the Enterprise Tax Management System (ETMS), also referred to as eTax. To enhance the taxpayer experience and accountability, the platform connects the registration, assessment, filing, and payment processes.
Subair stressed that Lagos’ digital transformation is built on transparency, data-driven decision making, and responsiveness to the demands of the 21st-century economy. The success of these initiatives, he noted, has “revolutionised revenue collection,” and the N1 trillion benchmark is only the beginning as Lagos explores artificial intelligence (AI) for future tax administration.
“As we look ahead, we envision fiscal systems that are intelligent, adaptive, and powered by innovation,” he said, adding that future success relies on continuous investment in human capacity and cross-sector partnerships.
Chairman of Edniesal Consulting Limited, organisers of the CIO Project, Oluwakayode Adigun (Pa Kay), said the focus on tax transformation is timely, considering ongoing reforms across Africa. He agreed with Subair that AI remains the future of digital operations, noting its increasing influence across industries.
Convener of the CIO & C-Suite Project Africa, Mrs Abiola Laseinde, reflected on the evolution of the awards, which began six years ago as a mission to spotlight Africa’s unsung technology leaders. She said the initiative has grown into a continental movement celebrating innovators shaping the continent’s digital future.
According to her, Africa is no longer “catching up” but actively leading in sectors such as fintech, energy, health, agriculture, and cybersecurity. She praised Nigeria’s adoption of technology in governance, particularly in tax systems, but emphasised the need for smart infrastructure to support emerging innovations.
She urged policymakers to prioritise building smart cities and creating an enabling environment for the seamless deployment of AI-driven solutions. “Technology must become part of our national DNA, because those who fail to embrace it will wake up irrelevant,” she warned.
The event also featured the CIO Awards, which celebrated professionals and organisations delivering exceptional value through digital innovation across media, fintech, manufacturing, insurance, education, and entertainment.
With Lagos setting a national record in IGR, stakeholders say the state’s digital-first approach is a model for other subnationals seeking sustainable, transparent, and technology-driven revenue systems.
