TMRAS: A digital savior or another government hype?

By Victor Agi Over the years, the government has introduced numerous initiatives aimed at addressing systemic challenges, particularly in public finance management. However, many of these initiatives, while well-intentioned, have fallen short of their goals due to poor implementation, lack of political will, and systemic corruption. The Federal Government just launched the Treasury Management & […]

By Victor Agi

Over the years, the government has introduced numerous initiatives aimed at addressing systemic challenges, particularly in public finance management. However, many of these initiatives, while well-intentioned, have fallen short of their goals due to poor implementation, lack of political will, and systemic corruption.

The Federal Government just launched the Treasury Management & Revenue Assurance System (TMRAS), a new digital platform that will replace Remita. It is primarily designed to ‘enhance the efficiency, transparency, and accountability of federal revenue collections and payments across ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs)’, and ultimately address revenue leakages, misallocation, and corruption. This initiative is commendable, but raises an important question: Will TMRAS succeed where others have failed, or will it become another addition to the list of underperforming reforms?

The government deserves credit for taking steps to modernize public financial management. TMRAS comes with promising features, including automated tax deductions, real-time remittances, and a comprehensive oversight framework. These advancements are a clear recognition that manual processes in 2025 are outdated and inefficient.

However, history has shown that technology alone is not enough to solve deeply entrenched problems. Previous systems like the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS), Treasury Single Account (TSA), and REMITA were also introduced with high expectations, yet they failed to fully address issues of corruption and revenue leakage.

For TMRAS to succeed, the government must address several critical challenges. First, transparency must be a cornerstone of the system. If TMRAS operates as a closed system accessible only to a select few, it will fail to gain public trust. A real-time public dashboard that allows citizens to track revenue inflows, tax deductions, and allocations would go a long way in ensuring accountability and enhancing confidence in the system.

Also, independent oversight is essential. The system must be monitored by independent anti-corruption bodies, civil society organizations, and auditors to ensure it is not abused or manipulated. Without robust oversight, TMRAS risks becoming another tool for the same old practices that have undermined previous initiatives.

The issue of manual interventions must be equally addressed. Past systems like GIFMIS and TSA were designed to be fully automated, yet manual interventions created loopholes for corruption. TMRAS must have strict controls to prevent unauthorized changes and ensure the integrity of financial transactions.

The big elephant in the room that must also be tackled is the issue of non-compliance by Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs). Well documented evidence from auditor-general reports has shown that MDAs willfully disregard government owned financial regulations and policies on revenue generation and remittance to the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF). These reports reveal a consistent pattern of under-reporting, mismanagement, and diversion of Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).

For instance, a 2022 account of the 2018 Auditor-General report by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) highlighted that the failure of various MDAs to remit a percentage of their IGR to the CFR accounted for 88.8% of the N54.6 billion not remitted to the government. According to the report, 17 MDAs were identified as defaulters, with unremitted funds totaling N48.5 billion. These underscore the persistent challenges of revenue leakages and non-remittance by MDAs.

For the TMRAS to succeed, it must address these systemic challenges by enforcing strict compliance measures, imposing penalties for non-remittance or diversion of funds, and ensuring full integration of all revenue streams into a centralized system. Without these measures, the government will continue to lose billions of naira to inefficiency and corruption, which will further undermine its ability to deliver on its development goals. TMRAS must go beyond being a technological solution and ensure accountability, transparency, and political will to transform Nigeria’s public finance system.

Finally, the integration of revenue-generating agencies such as customs, FIRS, taxation offices, and oil revenue handlers is crucial. Revenue leakages at collection points remain a significant challenge, and TMRAS must ensure that all revenue streams are fully integrated into the system to prevent losses before funds reach government accounts. While the expectation is that TMRAS will put a check to infractions in revenue collection, treasury management is another important aspect that requires attention. The ability to effectively and efficiently manage financial resources and minimize risk exposure can not be overstated.

Some people have argued that Nigeria’s problem is largely a spending problem, not much of a revenue one. Although this may not be entirely true, MDAs must be accountable and be seen to be taking measures to optimize resource allocation, reduce costs, and enhance overall financial efficiency. Nigerians are tired of being told to make sacrifices, whereas public officials live large on public funds.

In a nutshell, TMRAS represents a step in the right direction, and its success will depend on more than just technology, without which it risks becoming another well-intentioned initiative that fails to deliver tangible results. Nigerians deserve more than announcements and promises. They deserve a public finance system that works for the benefit of all. As the saying goes, “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.” For TMRAS to avoid this fate, the government must ensure that its actions match its words. Only then can we truly begin to address the systemic issues that have held Nigeria back for far too long.

Victor Agi writes from the Center for Fiscal Transparency and Public Integrity, Abuja.