Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has signed into law the Edo State Revenue Consolidation Account (Establishment and Operation) Law, 2026, introducing a centralised framework for the collection, management and disbursement of government revenue across the state.
Secretary to the State Government, Umar Musa Ikhilor, announced the development in a Government Special Announcement, saying the law is designed to strengthen transparency, accountability and fiscal discipline while eliminating revenue leakages and the unauthorised retention of public funds.
Under the new law, all revenues accruing to Ministries, Departments, Agencies and Parastatals of the Edo State Government are to be centrally managed through an approved revenue consolidation framework.
The law also empowers the Edo State Internal Revenue Service (EIRS) to coordinate enforcement of the state’s revenue laws and supervise the engagement of revenue agents and consultants.
According to the government, the EIRS will also oversee the deployment, operation and maintenance of technology-driven systems for revenue collection, administration, monitoring and management.
The government directed every ministry, department, agency and parastatal to, within 14 days of the notice, disclose all revenue bank accounts under its control to the Ministry of Finance, transfer the balances in such accounts to the approved Internally Generated Revenue account and close the separate accounts.
The affected government institutions are also prohibited from maintaining or operating separate bank accounts for the collection, retention or expenditure of government revenue.
They are further required to submit both hard and electronic copies of their revenue statements and supporting records from Jan. 1, 2025, to the commencement of the law to the Ministry of Finance, Auditor-General of the State and EIRS for a comprehensive revenue audit.
The law also bars MDAs from independently carrying out revenue enforcement activities without the prior written approval of the Executive Chairman of EIRS.
Similarly, no ministry, department, agency or parastatal is permitted to establish or use a mobile court for revenue-related enforcement without the prior approval of the EIRS chairman in collaboration with the Edo State Judiciary.
The government further prohibited MDAs from appointing or retaining revenue agents, consultants or other entities for revenue collection and administration except in collaboration with EIRS and with the prior written approval of the governor.
Existing consultants engaged by government institutions are to be regularised with EIRS within 60 days.
The new law also repeals laws, regulations, circulars and administrative directives that previously permitted government ministries, agencies, parastatals and institutions to collect and retain revenue, maintain separate revenue accounts or spend revenue directly at source.
The government warned that heads of MDAs, accounting officers, directors of finance, bursars, treasurers, principal officers and other public officials who fail to comply with the provisions of the law could face immediate suspension pending investigation.
It added that where unauthorised collection, diversion, withholding or illegal receipt of government revenue occurs, the person involved, the head of the relevant MDA and any official who authorised, facilitated or permitted the activity would be jointly liable to investigation and appropriate sanctions.
The state government said the commencement of the law is in line with ongoing tax reforms and stressed that the EIRS remains solely responsible for driving and supervising revenue collection in Edo State.
It added that the administration would continue to deploy technology to improve revenue administration, promote sustainable development and protect residents from exploitation.