The Cross River State Internal Revenue Service (CRIRS) has unveiled an ambitious plan to raise the state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) to ₦10 billion monthly starting January 2026, capitalizing on recent national tax reform legislation.
Speaking during a two-day half-year performance review session in Calabar on Friday, CRIRS Chairman, Mr. Edwin Okon, disclosed that the agency is on track to surpass its 2025 revenue goals laying a solid foundation for the ₦10 billion monthly target.
“Between January and June 2025, we generated about ₦27 billion, compared to ₦19 billion in the same period last year. That’s a 39.7% increase,” Okon noted. “If this growth continues, we should hit ₦54 to ₦60 billion by year-end, well beyond our initial ₦43.9 billion projection.”
The CRIRS boss credited their progress to improved automation, anti-leakage reforms, and what he described as a “non-interference policy” from the state governor, Senator Bassey Otu.
“In my two years in office, the governor has never interfered with my job. This has helped us achieve remarkable results,” he added.
National Tax Reforms to Drive State Ambitions
A key component of the state’s strategy is alignment with Nigeria’s broader fiscal reforms. Okon explained that the four tax reform bills recently signed into law by President Bola Tinubu would provide the legal and operational framework needed to optimize revenue at the subnational level.
The new tax legislation signed in June 2025 includes:
- Nigeria Tax Bill
- Nigeria Tax Administration Bill
- Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill
- Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Bill
These bills, which take effect from January 1, 2026, aim to harmonize the country’s fragmented tax systems, modernize administration, and ease the tax burden on low-income Nigerians. Executive Chairman of the now-renamed National Revenue Service (NRS), Zacch Adedeji, emphasized that the reforms would foster fairness and efficiency.
“The idea is to boost revenue without stifling productivity or hurting the poor,” Adedeji said in a press briefing following the signing of the bills.
State Ministries Face Pressure to Match Investments
Also speaking at the event, Cross River State Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Mike Odere, challenged state agencies particularly the Ministries of Lands and Housing to improve their revenue contributions.
“We’re making massive investments in infrastructure, land, and housing reforms. We expect these MDAs to triple their revenue performance to match the state’s financial commitment,” Odere said.
Meanwhile, Head of Service, Mr. Innocent Eteng, stressed the importance of positioning the state to benefit fully from the upcoming national reforms and to sustainably manage its rich natural resources.
“It’s not just about collecting more revenue. It’s about being smart and strategic, especially with our mineral wealth and agricultural potential,” Eteng remarked.
What This Means for Cross River State
Analysts say the CRIRS’s ₦10 billion target if realized could position Cross River among the top revenue-generating states in Nigeria. For comparison, as of 2024, only a few states including Lagos and Rivers regularly generated above ₦10 billion monthly in IGR, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
With oil revenues remaining volatile, increased IGR is essential for financing infrastructure, healthcare, education, and other social services without over-relying on federal allocations.
Cross River’s pivot toward tax-driven development may also offer a blueprint for other subnational governments aiming for fiscal sustainability under Nigeria’s evolving federal structure.
