In a resounding recognition of his outstanding achievements and transformative leadership, Mr. Muhammad Nami, the former Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), has been awarded The Top10 Magazine Man of the Year 2023. This prestigious honour was bestowed upon him after an exhaustive and highly competitive selection process, where he emerged as the clear choice among a distinguished pool of candidates.
The Board of Editors of The Top10 Magazine conveyed this distinction to Mr. Nami through a letter, lauding his remarkable contributions during his tenure at the helm of FIRS, which spanned from January 2020 to September 2023. The magazine’s editors commended Mr. Nami’s role as a catalyst for change in the Nigerian tax system, citing the multitude of records broken and accomplishments achieved by FIRS under his leadership.
The letter to Mr. Nami stated, “Your milestone accomplishments, especially the records broken and new records set by FIRS under your leadership is a clear demonstration of your competence as a change agent in the administration of the Nigerian tax system, which is worthy of commendation, hence the decision of our management to accord you this special recognition as The Top10 Magazine Man of the Year 2023.”
The Top10 Magazine, established eight years ago, serves as a platform to celebrate excellence across various fields. The Man of the Year award, instituted in the same year, annually recognizes an outstanding personality who has made significant contributions to Nigerian society.
Nami, renowned for his leadership in tax administration, achieved remarkable results during his tenure as FIRS Executive Chairman. He adopted a comprehensive four-pronged approach, focusing on stakeholder relations, customer-centricity, data and technology, and institutional restructuring. This approach led to an unprecedented increase in non-oil revenues, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
Under Mr. Nami’s guidance, FIRS achieved remarkable milestones. In 2021, the agency surpassed its N6.401 trillion revenue target, reaching N6.405 trillion. The following year, in 2022, FIRS shattered expectations by contributing an astounding N10.1 trillion in tax revenues, setting a new record in Nigerian history.
Notably, FIRS continued its stellar performance in the first half of 2023, collecting an impressive N5.5 trillion in total tax revenue. This figure exceeded the N4.95 trillion collected in the entire fiscal year of 2020 and came close to the N6.4 trillion collected in all of 2021. This marks the highest-ever tax collection by the service for the first half of a fiscal year.
As a testament to the significance of this accolade, Mr. Tony Iji, Publisher/Editor-In-Chief of The Top10 Magazine, revealed plans for a special award edition dedicated to celebrating Mr. Nami’s remarkable achievements. This edition will provide an in-depth look at the records set by him and the milestones accomplished by FIRS during his leadership, in addition to highlighting the agency’s contributions to the economy and Mr. Nami’s career and personal background.
The culmination of this celebration will take place at the official Man of the Year investiture ceremony during The Top10 Magazine Excellence Awards night, scheduled for later this year. The event promises to attract the crème de la crème of Nigerian society, providing a fitting platform to honor Mr. Muhammad Nami as The Top10 Magazine Man of the Year 2023.
