*Blueprint for Increasing Imo State’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) Without Additional Burden on Families and Taxpayers*
PREAMBLE
It is the solemn duty of government to fund public goods and development. However, that duty cannot be met by endlessly increasing taxes, fees, and levies on citizens already stretched thin.
A sustainable and just revenue strategy must pursue efficiency, not extraction; expansion, not exploitation.
This policy statement outlines a practical pathway for Imo State to grow its IGR — building on the record-breaking ₦43 billion achieved in 2025 — without imposing new financial hardships on households or honest taxpayers.
MY CORE POLICY POSITIONS
1. No New Taxes or Increased Levies
No new state or local government taxes, nor any increase in existing rates (including PAYE, consumption, or business premises levies), shall be introduced for the duration of my administration’s core reform phase. Revenue growth will come exclusively from non-tax and efficiency-driven sources.
2. Full Digitization of Revenue Collection
All government payments, business registrations, and tax filings shall transition to a single, integrated digital platform (e-revenue portal, mobile app, and USSD) within 12 months. This eliminates cash handling, multiple taxation points, and human-mediated leakages — raising net revenue without raising rates.
3. Expansion Through Economic Formalization, Not Coercion
The informal sector will be onboarded through incentives (access to credit, markets, and skills training) and one-stop business centers — not punitive enforcement. Growing the formal economy naturally broadens the tax base without burdening existing compliant payers.
4. Monetization of State Assets via PPPs
Underutilized government properties, markets, parks, and land banks shall be developed through transparent public-private partnerships (PPPs) — generating concession fees, royalties, and profit shares — rather than sold off or left idle.
5. Revenue-Linked Service Delivery
At least 30% of incremental IGR from efficiency gains shall be visibly reinvested in quick-impact community projects (roads, school rehabilitation, primary healthcare supplies). Citizens will see a direct link between compliance and improved quality of life, strengthening voluntary payment culture.
6. Institutional Integrity and Anti-Leakage Measures
A centralized biometric taxpayer database, independent audits, and citizen oversight dashboards will be established. Revenue officials will undergo performance-based training and anti-corruption protocols. Every lost naira due to leakage is an invisible tax on the honest citizen — and that musr end.
7. Implementation & Accountability Timeline
· 0–12 months: Full digitization, asset audit, and public sensitization.
· 1–2 years: Infrastructure PPPs, MSME formalization, skills programs, and balanced revenue diversification away from over-reliance on PAYE.
. 2-3 years: Monthly public dashboards; annual independent citizen budget reports.
CONCLUSION
Imo State does not need to squeeze its people to grow. It needs to collect what is already due, bring economic activity into the formal fold, monetize what it owns, and invest in services that make payment a choice, not a fight. This blueprint has worked in Lagos and other subnational governments. With political will and transparent execution, it will work here — without adding one kobo of hardship to any family in Imo.
Dr. Ejike Chukwu
Policy Lead
Imo State Revenue & Economic Reform Initiative