Atiku Rejects FIRS Appointment of Xpress Payments as TSA Agent

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has criticised the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) for appointing Xpress Payment Solutions Limited as a new collecting agent under the Treasury Single Account (TSA) system.

Atiku described the move as a dangerous attempt to revive what he referred to as the Alpha Beta-style revenue model allegedly used in Lagos during President Bola Tinubu’s tenure.

In a statement posted on X, he argued that the appointment amounted to the “resurrection of a revenue cartel” similar to Alpha Beta, claiming it created a monopoly that channelled public revenue through private intermediaries.

He warned that the development suggested a plan to “nationalise” a model that puts private companies between government revenue and the state, which he said undermines transparency and accountability.

Atiku accused the Federal Government of making the decision “quietly,” without legislative scrutiny, public input or stakeholder consultation. He questioned the urgency surrounding the appointment and demanded an explanation of the value Xpress Payments is expected to add to existing TSA mechanisms. He said the lack of openness raises concerns about whose interests the policy serves.

He also noted that the timing of the appointment was insensitive, coming at a moment when Nigeria is facing rising insecurity and national grief. According to him, governance during such a period should focus on empathy and public safety, not “expanding private revenue pipelines.”

Calling the decision “state capture masquerading as digital innovation,” Atiku argued that Nigeria does not need more private intermediaries in its revenue system. Instead, he urged for stronger institutions, greater transparency and a tax structure free from political interference.

He demanded an immediate suspension of Xpress Payments’ engagement pending a full public inquiry, including disclosure of all contractual terms, fee structures, beneficiaries and the criteria used for the selection.

Atiku also called for a comprehensive audit of TSA operations to stop what he described as the gradual privatisation of government revenue collection.

He further recommended creating a legal framework that outrightly bans the use of private proxies in core government revenue functions, warning that such executive actions weaken democratic accountability.

Linking the issue to national security, Atiku said economic governance should not be conducted “in the shadows” at a time when insecurity is affecting communities nationwide. He urged the Federal Government to abandon “Lagos-style revenue cartelisation” and return to transparency, constitutionalism and public accountability.

Opinion Nigeria News