Lagos State Internal Revenue Service (LIRS) has announced January 31 as deadline for filing of annual tax returns by employers of labour.

The agency in a statement reminds businesses and employers of labour of their statutory obligation to file annual income tax returns pursuant to section 81 (2) of the Personal Income Tax Act (PITA) Cap P8 LFN 2004 (as amended).

LIRS reiterates that the Act stipulates January 31st as the deadline for filing of annual income tax returns, adding that failure to comply will attract penalty.

The Executive Chairman of Lagos State Internal Revenue Service, Mr. Ayodele Subair urges all businesses and employers of labour resident within Lagos State, to file their annual income tax returns on or before January 31, 2022, to avoid payment of penalties as well as other statutory sanctions.

According to the agency, “the only available platform for filing of annual income tax returns in Lagos State is the LIRS e-Tax portal: https://etax.lirs.net. The e-Tax portal is built for convenience of taxpayers, is easy, convenient and safe. All businesses and employers of labor are advised to use the e-Tax portal to file their returns.”

The statement further that, the taxpayer ID of all employees is compulsory for the annual income tax returns to be successful filed on the e-Tax portal.

The agency urged all employees and taxable persons within the State generate a taxpayer ID (where applicable) and file their individual annual income tax returns on the e-Tax portal.

As part of the Agency’s quest to ease compliance obligations for taxpayers, it has designated some staff at its various offices to assist taxpayers with using the e-Tax portal and other filing related issues, the statement said.