Key Takeaways:
- Zend Technology has converted the National Identification Number into a bank-linked NIN tax wallet to enable secure, instant and gradual tax payments.
- The platform automates account conversion, issues digital receipts and uses telecom data to determine residency for fair state tax allocation.
- Targeting the informal sector, the solution digitises presumptive tax assessments and has seen early success in pilot deployments.
- Partnerships with banks, states and a nationwide liaison team aim to expand adoption while offering low-cost and free tiers.
Zend Technology Company Limited has unveiled a new service that converts Nigeria’s National Identification Number (NIN) and Tax Identification Number into a functional bank-linked tax wallet, promising a simpler and more inclusive way for citizens to meet tax obligations.
NIN tax wallet offers instant, gradual payments
At a press conference in Lagos, Zend’s chairman and chief executive, Victor Kalu, said the innovation turns an individual’s NIN into a bank account that can receive tax payments immediately. The system uses the 11-digit NIN, with the last 10 digits serving as the account identifier, so users do not need to link separate bank details.
The platform allows taxpayers to make small, regular remittances rather than face a single, large bill at year end. “A tailor or mechanic earning daily income can pay N200, N500 or N1,000 steadily instead of facing a huge bill,” Kalu said, highlighting how the service aims to reduce the shock associated with lump-sum assessments.
Residency checks and fair allocation of state tax
Zend has incorporated a residency determination feature that uses partnerships with telecom operators to map digital footprints. By analysing where a taxpayer spends the majority of time, the system can resolve disputes about which state should collect personal income tax for mobile citizens. Zend says this will prevent double charging and ensure states receive revenue in line with actual residency patterns.
The firm stressed that the approach is objective and data-driven, using a threshold—such as spending 80 days in a state—to guide allocation. Officials say this could end longstanding tussles between states over tax jurisdiction.
Support for the informal economy and digital assessment
Zend’s platform digitises existing presumptive tax tables for traders, artisans and small businesses. Users can select their trade on zend.ng to receive an automated assessment and pay via their NIN tax wallet. The company says pilots in Delta State have already produced positive outcomes, helping small traders build structured records of earnings and begin saving for the first time.
Every transaction generates a digital receipt and payment history, improving transparency and traceability compared with traditional paper certificates. Kalu added that the system supports planning, assessment, payment and documentation, all within the portal.
Partnerships, outreach and pricing
Zend has deployed more than 500 trained tax liaison officers across the country to help users navigate the platform, resolve disputes and liaise with revenue authorities. The company is in talks with multiple states and financial institutions and thanked Providers Bank for early support.
The service will operate a flexible pricing model with a free tier and paid options starting from as little as N500 per month. Zend said the pricing is intended to promote dignity in compliance rather than impose new burdens on low-income earners.
Analysts following the pilot deployments say the innovation could be influential in Nigeria’s tax administration by deepening financial inclusion, widening the tax base and making revenue collection less contentious. Zend’s appeal to federal and state agencies and to the private sector is for broad adoption to allow the system to realise its potential at scale.
