Kaduna State’s revenue service was left in a state of neglect under former Governor Nasir El-Rufai, despite claims of high internally generated revenue (IGR) collections, the Executive Chairman of the Kaduna State Internal Revenue Service (KADIRS), Comrade Jerry Adams, has revealed.
Addressing journalists on Tuesday, Adams debunked El-Rufai’s claims that his administration generated N7 billion monthly, stating that much of the revenue came from one-off back-duty recoveries and asset sales, totaling N45 billion, rather than steady growth.
Shockingly, despite these large recoveries, KADIRS was left underfunded, with over 80% of revenue offices in poor condition, insufficient vehicles, and inadequate staff welfare, raising concerns over the mismanagement of funds under the former administration.
“In the last two years, under the leadership of Governor Uba Sani, the government has prioritized robust revenue sector reforms, including the introduction of the PAYKADUNA Portal and digital revenue collection channels to enhance efficiency,” Adams said.
As a result, Kaduna State recorded ₦62.48 billion in IGR in 2023 and ₦71 billion in 2024, surpassing the best years under El-Rufai. January and February 2025 alone have already seen collections of ₦14.16 billion, proving that revenue mobilization under Uba Sani is not only stable but growing.
Adams also dismissed allegations of secret N100 million withdrawals from the IGR account, explaining that Kaduna’s revenue system is fully automated, with all payments instantly swept into the state’s Treasury Single Account (TSA), making fraudulent withdrawals impossible.
With Kaduna now leading northern Nigeria in IGR performance, the revelations raise serious questions about why the El-Rufai administration failed to reinvest in KADIRS, despite claiming record revenue figures.
The current government, Adams assured, is focused on sustainable revenue growth through structural reforms, data-driven tax administration, and full state ownership of revenue technology, eliminating third-party inefficiencies.
These revelations put El-Rufai and his allies on the defensive, as the facts expose a pattern of neglect, misleading revenue claims, and financial mismanagement that left KADIRS in ruins.
