Atiku faults FG’s appointment of Xpress Payments as TSA collector

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has criticised the Federal Government over the appointment of Xpress Payments Solutions Limited as a new collecting agent under the Treasury Single Account (TSA).

Atiku described the move as a “dangerous resurrection” of revenue monopolies linked to past administrations in Lagos State.

The former vice president, in a statement issued on Sunday, November 23, 2025, said the decision was neither administrative nor transparent, but a calculated attempt to create a private toll gate around national revenue.

He likened the development to the controversial Alpha Beta model, which he said funnelled public funds into the hands of politically connected actors.

According to him, the Federal Government is attempting to “nationalise” a system that once operated at the state level, effectively turning Nigeria from a republic into “a private holding company controlled by a small circle of vested interests.”

Atiku also condemned the timing of the decision, saying it was insensitive for the government to introduce such a policy at a period when Nigerians are mourning victims of rising insecurity.

“When a nation is grieving, leadership should show empathy and focus on securing lives, not on expanding private revenue pipelines,” Atiku said.

Kaduna denies El-Rufai’s claim of ₦1bn payment to bandits, demands apology

The former vice president raised several questions about the reported appointment, including the lack of consultation, absence of National Assembly oversight, and the justification for selecting Xpress Payments when existing TSA channels remain functional.

“This is not reform. This is state capture masquerading as digital innovation,” he stated.

Atiku called for the immediate suspension of the appointment pending a public inquiry, as well as full disclosure of contractual terms, fee structures and beneficiaries.

Atiku also demanded a comprehensive audit of TSA operations to prevent “the creeping privatisation of revenue collection.”

He urged the creation of a legal framework that prevents the insertion of private middlemen into core government revenue systems, warning that Nigeria cannot afford opaque economic governance amid a worsening security crisis.

“Nigeria’s revenues are not political spoils. They are the lifeblood of our national survival,” Atiku added, calling on the government to “abandon Lagos-style revenue cartelisation” and embrace transparency and accountability.

The Star