NRS Slams July 31 Deadline on Large Firms
By Patience Ikpeme
The Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) has directed all large taxpayer corporations operating in the country to fully transition to the national e-invoicing and Electronic Fiscal System (EFS) by July 31, 2026.
The directive follows a public notice issued by the revenue agency on February 17, 2026, which detailed the implementation timeline and the compulsory adoption of the digital framework, widely known as the Merchant Buyer Solution (MBS).
NRS Chairman, Zacch Adedeji, personally signed the public notice, advising large corporate entities to complete all necessary onboarding, system integration, validation testing, and the transmission of digital invoices to the central NRS platform within the established guidelines.
According to a formal statement released on Sunday by Dare Adekanmbi, the Special Adviser on Media to the NRS Chairman, the tax authority is already actively monitoring corporate response levels.
“NRS has already commenced compliance monitoring activities in order to assess the level of adherence to the e-invoicing mandate among large taxpayers,” Adekanmbi stated.
The agency cautioned that businesses failing to meet the fast-approaching timeline face regulatory consequences under existing fiscal frameworks.
“Consequently, any defaulting member may be subjected to appropriate regulatory and enforcement actions in accordance with the provisions of the relevant tax laws and regulations,” Adekanmbi added.
The revenue service defines large taxpayers as corporate entities generating an annual gross turnover of N5 billion and above. Records from the agency show positive initial momentum, noting that more than 1,000 large companies successfully integrated into the system during the first quarter of the year.
To secure full compliance status, affected corporations must complete registration on the Merchant Buyer Solution portal and link their internal accounting frameworks through certified Access Point Providers (APPs) or Systems Integrators (SIs).
Furthermore, companies are required to complete all operational validation testing, actively transmit live invoices to the central database, and ensure they accept exclusively compliant e-invoices containing a valid Invoice Reference Number (RIN) from their respective business suppliers.
Urging slow-moving firms to finalize their tech transitions quickly, Adekanmbi stated, “Affected taxpayers are, therefore, advised to urgently conclude all outstanding onboarding and integration activities and commence invoice transmission before the compliance deadline.”
He concluded by noting that the tax authority values the ongoing cooperation of corporate citizens and remains prepared to provide technical guidance throughout the digital migration, stating, “The NRS appreciates the cooperation of taxpayers and remains committed to providing the necessary support to ensure the successful implementation of the national e-invoicing regime.”
