Nigeria Joins the Peppol Club
The Big Picture: In a move that could turbo-charge cross-border trade, Nigeria has officially registered its Tax Identification Number under ISO/IEC 6523 and named the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) as the country’s Peppol Authority, Punch reports.
The Details: Peppol is the global network that lets governments and businesses swap e-invoices and other trade docs in real time. By plugging in, Nigerian exporters can now bill overseas customers with a click, while FIRS gains instant visibility into the transactions. Supporters say the system means faster payments, lower costs, and,perhaps most valuable,automatic tax compliance.
“Registration brings Nigerian taxpayers global recognition,” an FIRS official told Punch, adding that the platform will slash manual paperwork and “strengthen compliance.” For additional insights on the evolving tax environment, check out our Introduction To Nigerian Tax Laws.
Why It Matters: The reaction was swift across Nigeria’s tech and manufacturing hubs. Tax professionals note that Peppol’s baked-in standards should shrink transfer-pricing disputes and ease VAT refunds. One Lagos-based adviser summed it up: “Less friction equals more trade.”
Around the Tax World
• Kenya makes users the tax cops. Nairobi’s new Significant Economic Presence (SEP) regime could require Kenyan subscribers to withhold tax when they pay Netflix, Amazon, or any other non-resident platform (TechTrendsKE).
• Swiss homeowners pop the champagne. Voters backed a $2.1 billion repeal of a century-old property tax by 57.7%, slashing annual bills by up to 22% (Bloomberg Law).
• Shipping’s green levy? An industry expert warns that the push for net-zero vessels is really an international carbon-tax play in disguise (Maritime Fairtrade).
• Nigeria’s stock market braces for 30% capital gains tax. The NGX Group opened talks on the 2024 Tax Reform Act rules set to bite in 2026, with investors worried about double taxation. For more on the broader reforms impacting Nigerian taxation, see our comprehensive overview in the Nigerian Tax Laws 2025 page.
• ASEAN+3 weighs broader tax bases. A new report urges the region to modernise collection and close loopholes to fund inclusive growth (AMRO).
By the Numbers
Tax Stat of the Day: 57.7%,the share of Swiss voters who said “Ja” to abolishing their property tax, clearing the biggest homeowner relief in a century.
Looking Ahead
All eyes are now on Kenya’s Treasury, which must publish detailed SEP withholding rules before bills hit subscribers’ cards on 1 January 2026.