The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) is scrambling to assess the damage after a fire broke out at its corporate headquarters in Abuja on Saturday morning. The incident comes at a high-stakes moment for the agency, just ten days before Nigeria is set to implement a sweeping set of new tax laws on January 1, 2026.
The fire reportedly started on the fourth floor of the FIRS building at No. 15 Sokode Crescent, Wuse Zone 5. Security personnel on early morning duty detected the smoke and raised the alarm, preventing what could have been a catastrophic loss.
Swift Response Saves the Building
Thanks to a rapid intervention by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Fire Service and other emergency responders, the blaze was contained before it could spread to other sections of the multi-storey complex.
Sikiru Akinola, spokesperson for FIRS Executive Chairman Zacch Adedeji, confirmed that the agency is breathing a sigh of relief regarding human safety. “We are grateful to report that no lives were lost in the incident,” Akinola stated. However, he admitted that while the building stands, several offices on the fourth floor sustained significant damage.
An Unfortunate Timing
While preliminary assessments point to a likely electrical fault, the timing of the fire has raised eyebrows across the country. The FIRS is currently in the final stages of preparing for the January 2026 rollout of the “Nigeria Tax Reform Acts”—a controversial and massive overhaul of the nation’s revenue system that has sparked intense debate in the National Assembly and among the public.
Critics and observers are already questioning whether the damaged offices contained critical documents or infrastructure related to the upcoming transition. However, the FIRS has not yet commented on whether the fire will impact the rollout schedule or if sensitive data was lost.
Investigation and Safety Overhaul
As smoke cleared from the Wuse district, FIRS management announced that a full inquiry is now underway to determine the exact cause of the spark. In the meantime, the agency is conducting an emergency review of its internal safety protocols across all its facilities to prevent a recurrence.
For now, the FIRS remains focused on its “War Against Tax Evasion,” even as it deals with the literal fallout of a fire at the heart of its operations.
