NORTHERN ELDERS DEMAND CANCELLATION OF FIRS–FRANCE TAX AGREEMENT OVER DATA SOVEREIGNTY CONCERNS
The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has called on President Bola Tinubu to immediately cancel a Memorandum of Understanding between the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and France’s Direction Générale des Finances Publiques (DGFiP), warning that the agreement poses serious risks to Nigeria’s economic sovereignty and national security.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday by its spokesperson, Abubakar Jika Jiddere, the NEF described the agreement as a form of “digital colonialism,” alleging that it could expose Nigeria’s sensitive tax and economic data to foreign control under the guise of technical cooperation. The group warned that granting external access to the country’s tax infrastructure could open the door to economic espionage, surveillance and undue foreign influence.
The elders argued that Nigeria possesses sufficient local expertise and technological capacity to manage and modernise its tax systems without relying on foreign governments. They criticised the timing of the agreement, noting that it comes amid worsening insecurity, economic hardship, currency instability and rising unemployment, particularly in northern Nigeria.
According to the NEF, any arrangement that allows foreign entities access to national tax data undermines Nigeria’s independence and long-term strategic interests. The group urged the federal government to prioritise data sovereignty, engage Nigerian technology firms, and enact comprehensive legal safeguards to protect sensitive financial information, especially ahead of the planned launch of a new Nigeria Revenue Service in January 2026.
The forum further faulted the National Assembly for what it described as weak oversight, warning that agreements of such national importance should not be entered into without broad consultation, transparency and enforceable protections.
The NEF demanded the immediate termination of the agreement, a complete prohibition of foreign processing or storage of Nigerian tax data, and the development of homegrown solutions for revenue administration. It stated that it would continue to oppose the deal through lawful and civic means if the government fails to reverse course.
As of press time, neither the Presidency nor the Federal Inland Revenue Service had issued an official response to the concerns raised by the Northern Elders Forum.
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