Cross River Targets N10bn Monthly Revenue From January 2026

The Cross River State Internal Revenue Service (CRIRS) has unveiled plans to raise the state’s monthly internally generated revenue to N10 billion starting January 2026, signaling an aggressive push for fiscal sustainability.

Chairman of CRIRS, Mr. Edwin Okon, disclosed this on Friday during the agency’s two-day Half-Year Review Session held in Calabar. He said the new target would leverage recently assented federal tax laws and expanded automation of tax processes.

According to Okon, the state has already recorded notable progress, with a 39.7 percent increase in revenue in the first half of 2025 compared to the same period last year.

“Between January and June 2025, we generated about N27 billion, up from N19 billion during the same period in 2024. At this trajectory, we expect to surpass our annual target of N43.9 billion and close the year between N54 billion and N60 billion,” he said.

Okon credited the revenue growth to the full automation of tax systems and non-interference by the state government, noting that proactive reforms had curbed leakages and brought more state-owned institutions into the revenue net.

“The governor has never interfered in my job, and that independence has allowed us to deliver these results,” he added.

Speaking on federal tax reforms, the CRIRS boss said the new policies aim to ease the burden on low-income Nigerians while creating a more robust tax framework.

Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Mike Odere, also urged key sectors, particularly Lands and Housing, to ramp up their revenue performance to align with the state’s infrastructure investments.

“We are injecting significant funds into reforms, and we expect agencies to triple their revenue targets to justify these investments,” Odere stated.

Similarly, Head of Service, Mr. Innocent Eteng, emphasized the need for Cross River to strategically position itself to benefit from the new tax regime while effectively managing its abundant natural resources.