Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has criticised the Federal Government over what he described as a “quiet and dangerous” appointment of Xpress Payments Solutions Limited as a collecting agent under the Treasury Single Account (TSA) system, warning that the move risks a repeat of a controversial Lagos revenue model.
In a statement released on X (formerly Twitter), Alhaji Atiku accused the government of attempting to “nationalise the Alpha Beta model,” referring to the disputed revenue consultancy framework that operated in Lagos State during and after President Bola Tinubu’s tenure as governor.
The former vice president argued that the decision effectively created a private toll gate around public revenue, benefiting politically connected interests while sidelining transparency and accountability.
Atiku described the appointment as state capture masquerading as digital innovation, stating,“What we are witnessing now is the attempt to nationalise that same template, moving Nigeria from a republic to a private holding company controlled by a small circle of vested interests.”
He condemned the timing of the move, noting that it coincided with a period when Nigerians are grappling with escalating insecurity.
“To introduce such a policy in the middle of a national tragedy, while Nigerians are mourning loved ones lost to insecurity, is not only insensitive, it is a deliberate act of governance by stealth, ” he said.
The former vice president called for immediate suspension of the Xpress Payments appointment pending a public inquiry.
He also demanded full disclosure of the contractual terms, fee structures, beneficiaries, and selection criteria, along with a comprehensive audit of TSA operations to prevent the creeping privatisation of revenue collection.
Atiku also stressed the need for a legal framework to prohibit private proxies from entering core government revenue systems, warning that national governance must prioritise security and the protection of public funds over private gain.
“Nigeria’s revenues are not political spoils.
”They are the lifeblood of our national survival, especially at a time when insecurity is tearing communities apart,” he said.
Atiku’s statement positioned the appointment as a return to the “Lagos-style revenue cartelisation”, urging the Federal Government to instead uphold transparency, constitutional governance, and public accountability.
He cautioned that allowing politically connected entities to dominate revenue collection could further undermine trust in government institutions and erode the integrity of Nigeria’s fiscal system.
“The government must abandon this Lagos-style revenue cartelisation and return to the path of transparency, constitutionalism, and public accountability,” he said.
The controversy followed reports that Xpress Payments Solutions Limited had been approved as part of the FIRS’ multi-channel payment ecosystem for TSA collections.
While officials insisted that the system is open and transparent, Atiku’s intervention signals a growing debate over the role of private firms in public revenue collection and the potential for political influence to shape fiscal operations.
