The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has put on hold, the implementation guidelines for the simplified compliance regime for Value Added Tax (VAT) on imported goods purchased through digital platforms by Non-resident Suppliers (NRS).
According to a statement issued by the service, the postponement of the deadline was to ensure the collection and remittance of the tax undergo an effective and efficient process to facilitate a smoother transition for both online businesses and consumers.
The statement further added that once the simplified compliance regime becomes operational, the VAT collection process for non-resident suppliers who sell goods to Nigerians through digital platforms, such as e-commerce websites would be made easier.
“The implementation of the Guidelines on the supply of services and intangibles by non-residents commenced on January 1, 2022 and is not affected by this notice. Consequently, all non-resident suppliers of services and intangibles should continue to comply with the provisions of the Guidelines concerning the collection and remittance of the tax as and when due.” the statement added
Following the move by around seventy countries to implement collections role for VAT and Goods and Services Tax (GST) on foreign providers for sales to in-country consumers, Nigeria had secured the obligation for non-resident providers of goods or digital/electronic services to consumers to register and charge VAT.
The FIRS in 2021, introduced the Guidelines on Simplified Compliance Regime for Value Added Tax (VAT) for Non-Resident Suppliers, a move aimed at aligning the service with the global trend towards taxing online transactions and promoting fairness for domestic businesses.
According to the earlier published notice, the guidelines concerning the supply of services and intangibles came into effect on January 1, 2022, while the guideline on goods was expected to be implemented on January 1, 2024.
The new update has now suspended the simplified VAT regime for the supply of goods while the existing guidelines for services and intangibles (digital services such as streaming platforms and software downloads) provided by non-resident suppliers remain in effect.