The Chairman of the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Hon. Christopher Maikalangu, has announced the full automation of the council’s revenue collection process, declaring an end to cash payments and all unauthorized revenue collection across the area council.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday, Maikalangu said the new system, powered by a digital platform known as Smart Tax, is aimed at blocking revenue leakages, strengthening transparency, and improving service delivery within the council.
He disclosed that the council had generated over ₦5 billion in revenue since January but stressed that the figure did not reflect the true earning capacity of AMAC, given its economic size and strategic locations. According to him, areas such as the Airport axis, Gwarimpa, Maitama, Asokoro, Dei-Dei, and Nyanya generate significant income that often fails to reflect in official records.
“From January to date, the council has made a revenue of over 5 billion naira. As I speak to you, people are still paying their money. But looking at the council, you should know that we ought to have something better than this. AMAC cuts across the airport, Dei Dei, Gwarimpa, Maitama, and Asokoro, down to Nyanya. That is AMAC for you,” he said.
Maikalangu said despite previous efforts to stop leakages, some individuals continued to divert public funds, noting that offenders had been arrested and prosecuted in the past. He said tougher measures were now required to completely eliminate the problem.
“With all these new buildings you are seeing everywhere, they are paying revenue to AMAC, but the money is not there. Those who have been caught before, we have been taking some of them to prison.
“It is just that sometimes media people are not here to see us taking them. So we apprehend them and prosecute them. We give them the punishment they deserve, but that is not enough. We are taking tough decisions that will stop this thing, to eliminate this thing,” he said.
Explaining how the new system works, the AMAC chairman said payments must now be made strictly through the Smart Tax platform, accessible online via https://smarttax.ng/payment.
He noted that residents can easily select their location and payment category on the platform.
“How is the automation going to work out? It is very simple… Now, so many of them will just come over, and they will present to you a fake AMAC account. And we have discovered that it is not an AMAC account.
“What we intend to do now is use Smart Tax. Anywhere you Google Smart Tax, whether you download the app or use Chrome, just go to https://smarttax.ng/payment. Follow it. You will get to where you make your payment. And you select items,” he said.
He added that once payment is made, a receipt is generated instantly and sent via email, adding that both the council and the payer would receive confirmation. He warned residents against making payments to any other account.
“You are going to have the receipt immediately after you make your payment, because you must attach your Gmail. Gmail will send you a message that you have paid. We will receive the message. I will receive from my phone that you have paid. Any other account, other than https://smarttax.ng/payment, doesn’t pay. We are saying it with a louder voice: don’t pay,” he said.
Maikalangu further explained that market traders and residents without bank apps could still pay through designated bank branches or POS operators, stressing that the process was designed to be inclusive and accessible.
“Our market women, for those that don’t have an account, can walk to any Zenith bank nearby and pay. We have only one bank that will receive or collect our revenue… They can go to the POS. Tell them I want to pay AMAC revenue at https://smarttax.ng/payment. They will pay it for you there,” he said.
He warned that defaulters would face strict sanctions, including prosecution, sealing of premises, and possible imprisonment, adding that mobile courts were already in place to handle offenders.
He also revealed that threats had been made against him since the policy announcement but insisted the reform would not be reversed.
“As for technical partners, they have sent a demand notice already… Yesterday, my house was filled with blood at the gate. Someone came in and sprayed blood everywhere. That this thing must not work. It’s a serious issue here,” he said.
Maikalangu emphasized that only payments made through the official Smart Tax platform would be recognized, advising residents to disregard any earlier demand notices not linked to the platform. He warned that anyone who paid outside the approved system would be forced to pay again.
“I only approve https://smarttax.ng/payment. Pay for that, and you are guaranteed… Some of these people you see on the road are not from here. Everybody wants to collect money in AMAC,” he said.
He, however, assured residents that the council would continue to monitor compliance and protect taxpayers, stressing that the reform was the only way to end fraud and ensure AMAC receives the revenue it is due.
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