FIRS adds Xpress Payments as TSA collecting agent

The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has appointed Xpress Payment Solutions Limited as one of its collecting agents under the Treasury Single Account (TSA) framework.

The approval means taxpayers using the FIRS TaxPro Max portal can now select Xpress Payments as a channel for remitting taxes to the Federal Government. Users generating a Payment Reference Number (PRN) on the platform will have the option of paying through XpressPay, the company’s online gateway, or at bank branches via its e-Cashier platform.

The appointment covers major statutory payments, including Company Income Tax (CIT), Value Added Tax (VAT), Withholding Tax (WHT), and other FIRS-related remittances.

Understanding FIRS’ digital tax infrastructure

The designation of Xpress Payments as a collecting agent is separate from two other major FIRS initiatives that have shaped the service’s digital tax administration in recent years.

First is the appointment of e-Tranzact International Plc as the technical backbone for the FIRS e-invoicing and electronic invoice authentication platform. That mandate focuses on validating transaction-level documentation, helping FIRS track taxable transactions in real-time and curb revenue leakages. Unlike the e-Tranzact role, which focuses on invoice data processing, authentication, and compliance monitoring, the Xpress Payments assignment deals strictly with payment collection, not document validation.

Second is the long-standing role of Remita, operated by SystemSpecs, as a TSA collecting agent. Remita’s platform has been one of the primary payment rails for federal receipts since the introduction of the Treasury Single Account in 2012.

The inclusion of Xpress Payments does not replace Remita’s function; instead, it adds choice for users of the TaxPro Max portal, especially businesses and individuals seeking alternatives to existing channels.

Xpress Payments says infrastructure is in place

Xpress Payments’ Acting Managing Director, Wale Olayisade, confirmed the appointment and stated that the company has deployed the necessary infrastructure to support the volume and sensitivity of federal tax collections. He noted that users can complete payments through electronic channels or in person at bank branches.

Xpress Payment Solutions, incorporated in 2016, operates across electronic collections, bill payments and disbursements. The company is licensed as a Payment Terminal Service Provider (PTSP) and also provides switching and transaction-processing services for financial institutions and corporate clients.

With the additional collecting channel now live on TaxPro Max, taxpayers will have more options when completing their statutory remittances, particularly at a time when FIRS continues to modernise its digital infrastructure.(BusinessDay)