By Atoyebi Nike
The Executive Chairman of the Akwa Ibom State Revenue Service, Okon Okon, has dismissed claims that bank accounts would be frozen without a Tax Identification Number from January 1, 2026.
Speaking at a stakeholders’ meeting in Uyo on Tuesday, Okon said the reports were false and that account holders would still have access even if they do not yet have a Tax ID. He added that deposits in bank accounts are not taxable, as taxation applies only to income.
Okon also noted that the Joint Revenue Board has developed a platform that can generate a Tax ID in seconds using a person’s National Identification Number and date of birth, with banks ready to assist.
He highlighted that Akwa Ibom has reduced the number of taxes from 63 to about 10 under the new reforms, aimed at easing the tax burden, eliminating multiple taxation, and promoting fairness.
