What is the FIRS Data Reporting and Visibility about?

FIRS Data Reporting & Visibility is an initiative by the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) to provide real-time reporting of Value Added Tax (VAT) for all online transactions.

How does this affect Flutterwave?

As a payment service provider we are legally mandated to comply with the Federal Government of Nigeria’s policy to increase visibility into online transactions. This involves securely reporting specific transaction details to the government’s Transaction Monitoring Service.

Does this mean Flutterwave now collects VAT for me?

No. You remain responsible for collecting, filing, and remitting your VAT directly to the FIRS. Our goal is to strictly report this data to FIRS , for compliance visibility.

Is the new VAT field mandatory for my payment request?

No, the new field is optional. We have introduced it to allow you to explicitly declare the VAT collected for that sale.

What happens if I forget to pass the VAT amount?

If you do not pass a VAT amount, our system automatically calculates the standard 7.5% on the transaction value and reports that figure to the FIRS.

Will my payment cost more due to this new tax reporting?

No. This update is entirely about data reporting between Flutterwave and the government. It does not introduce any new fees or charges for you.

Do I need to update my API version?

No, the reporting logic has been implemented consistently across all active F4B API versions (V2, V3, V4) to ensure universal compliance without requiring you to break your existing integrations.

Is a Tax Identification Number (TIN) required to successfully pass the payload?

If your Tax Identification Number (TIN) is missing from your profile, the field will simply be omitted or left blank in the reported data.

For more information on taxes and VAT, kindly visit the FIRS website: www.firs.gov.ng