Governor Monday Okpebholo-led administration in Edo State, has posted ₦52.6 billion in Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) within six months, representing 46 percent increase from the ₦36.1 billion recorded during the same period in 2024.
The Executive Chairman of the State Internal Revenue Service (EIRS), Otunba Oladele Bankole-Balogun, who made this known said that the half-year revenue figure reflects a remarkable 89.5 percent performance year-to-date, surpassing all mid-year benchmarks set in recent history.
“We are not just collecting revenue but we are restructuring the very foundations of Edo’s tax ecosystem. Our reforms are deliberate, people-focused, and technology-driven.
“What Governor Okpebholo has achieved in just six months is more than a fiscal milestone; it is a statement that a New Edo is not just rising, it is already here.”
He said that since assuming office in November, 2024, Governor Okpebholo has focused on strengthening institutional capacity at the EIRS, launching a multifaceted approach that includes regular staff training and improved welfare, regular stakeholder engagements, infrastructure upgrade and strengthened compliance with tax laws
“This holistic model of tax administration, rarely seen in state level governance, has led to the onboarding of 1,900 new taxpayers within the six-month window, marking a shift from theoretical tax expansion to operational reality.
“It’s a progressive model,” Bankole-Balogun said, adding: “You don’t bring everyone into the tax net overnight. But you can focus on big-income earners, plug the leaks, and keep the momentum going.”
The EIRS Chairman emphasized that the Governor Okpebholo-led administration is not simply collecting tax but redefining public perception around civic responsibility.
“We are building a culture where taxation is not seen as a burden but a patriotic contribution. When people see their taxes being translated into development, compliance becomes easier.”
He assured that the revenue agency would intensify efforts to implement the new federal tax reforms recently signed into law by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
This, he said, would further align state policy with national growth targets.
