The Abia State Board of Internal Revenue (BIR) has said it will fully digitise transport sector revenue collection and introduce a unified enforcement system to eliminate multiple enforcement channels and improve transparency across the state.
The Chairman of the Board, Uche Elekwachi, announced the reforms during a stakeholders’ meeting at the BIR headquarters in Umuahia, attended by government officials, enforcement agencies and transport unions.
Elekwachi said all enforcement operations will now be centrally coordinated under an integrated digital framework, while a structured revenue target system with daily performance monitoring will also be introduced to improve efficiency and accountability.
He added that the new system will eliminate unauthorised collections and other irregular practices.
He further disclosed that commercial motorcycles will be classified into three standard categories, each assigned unique identification codes linked to specific operational zones. Operators, he said, will undergo verification at designated licensing offices, where their details will be linked to plate numbers and biometric data. The initial registration will be free of charge.
The BIR Chairman noted that the reforms are aimed at building a transparent, technology-driven revenue system that will improve coordination, road safety and internally generated revenue in Abia State.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Chieftaincy Affairs and Chairman of the Abia State Harmonised Task Force, Prince Uzor Nwachukwu, said the initiative will streamline enforcement activities, strengthen collaboration among agencies and transport unions, and promote professionalism and accountability.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Revenue Matters, Dr. Emmanuel Okpechi, urged transport operators and other stakeholders to support the reforms, describing them as essential to restoring order in the transport sector and boosting the state’s internally generated revenue.
