AI agents for business finance: what they can and can't do
What AI agents can do in bookkeeping, close, collections and compliance today, where a person must stay in charge, and how to judge a product.
The short answer
Multiple taxation in Port Harcourt means paying the same charge to more than one body, or paying charges that have no legal basis, often to task forces, consultants or touts. A business cannot fix the system alone, but it can reduce its exposure by knowing which charges apply, paying only through official channels, keeping every receipt and acting together with others through associations.
What the research found
In March 2024 the Stakeholder Democracy Network surveyed 1,200 business owners in Rivers State and interviewed tax officials, business associations and collectors. Its findings are the most detailed public picture of the problem:
| Finding | Figure |
|---|---|
| Official charges that can apply to businesses in Rivers State | At least 75 |
| Charges that appear to be duplicated or similar across tiers | At least 17 |
| Businesses that think they pay multiple taxation | 65% |
| Businesses personally harmed by a tax collector | 57% |
| Transporters who say they pay multiple taxes | 81% |
| Businesses using the state's digital tax portal | 8% |
The study found that businesses in Port Harcourt and Obio-Akpor were more likely to report multiple taxation than those surveyed in Okrika and Ogu-Bolo, and that younger and women-owned businesses were slightly more affected. The most common effects were lower profit margins and higher prices for customers.
Where the problem comes from
- Overlapping tiers. Federal, state and local governments each have their own approved charges, and some cover similar ground.
- Task forces and consultants. State and local bodies have hired collectors on contract. The research found these are regularly dissolved and replaced, and that many collections do not reach government accounts.
- Unofficial collectors. Gangs, community youth groups and others demand payments to trade in a territory, sometimes with violence.
- Cash payments. When payments are made in cash without a receipt, businesses cannot prove they have paid, and pay again.
Rivers State has acted at times: it introduced the RIVTAMIS online tax portal and RIVTIN registration in 2018, prohibited private consultants from collecting personal income tax in 2021, and dissolved task forces at RISAA and the waste management agency in 2024. In March 2026, at a roundtable organised by RIRS with BusinessDay in Port Harcourt, the RIRS Executive Chairman said the service was working to end tax touting and digitise the system, while a business speaker called for a one-stop tax centre.
Practical steps for your business
1. Build your own list of what you owe
List every charge you legitimately pay: the agency, what it covers, the amount and when it is due. Our guide to business levies and permits in Port Harcourt helps you build it. Ask RIRS and your council for written confirmation of what applies to your premises.
2. Pay only through official channels
Pay state taxes through RIRS's portal or designated accounts, and council and agency charges at their offices or official accounts. A payment reference in your bank statement is far harder to dispute than a handwritten slip.
3. Keep records the same day
Photograph every receipt, permit and demand notice. File them by year. The research noted that businesses without records often pay repeatedly for the same charge.
4. Ask the right questions at the door
- Which agency do you represent? May I see your identification?
- What is this charge for, and which period does it cover?
- Can you give me a written bill?
- Can I pay at your office or into the agency's official account?
Stay calm and polite. If a collector becomes threatening, your safety comes first; note what happened, who was involved and when, and report it afterwards. Our guide to reporting fraud to the police explains how to make a report.
5. Act together
One shop complaining is easy to ignore; a market or street association with records from twenty shops is not. Business associations, chambers of commerce and transport unions in Port Harcourt have been part of state committees on informal sector tax. Share your records with your association and ask it to raise patterns with RIRS or your council.
6. Train your staff
Collectors often arrive when the owner is away. Give staff a short written instruction: never pay cash without the owner's approval, always ask for identification and a written bill, photograph the demand, and call the owner. Keep copies of current permits and receipts at the counter so staff can show them. A business whose staff respond the same calm way every time becomes a less attractive target.
A worked example
Example only. A provision shop in D-Line pays four official charges a year totalling ₦180,000. Over the same year, unofficial or duplicate demands come to ₦120,000, all in cash. Next year the owner pays every official charge by transfer, keeps a receipts folder, and refuses cash demands without a bill, referring collectors to the council office. Unofficial payments fall to ₦30,000. The saving of ₦90,000 is half a month's rent for many small shops, and the shop now has a record if it ever needs to dispute a charge.
Where Pryme fits
Paying levies by transfer from a Pryme Business Account leaves a dated statement entry, and a verifiable statement generated through Pryme's partnership with VerifyDoc.ai lets an agency or association check it is genuine and unaltered. The Compliance agent can keep your list of charges and prepare renewal reminders for you.
Questions people ask
What is multiple taxation in Rivers State?
Paying the same or similar charge to more than one body, or paying charges with no legal basis, often to task forces, consultants or unofficial collectors.
How common is multiple taxation in Port Harcourt?
In a 2024 survey of 1,200 Rivers businesses, 65% said they pay multiple taxation, and businesses in Port Harcourt and Obio-Akpor were more likely to report it than those surveyed elsewhere.
Can I refuse to pay a levy collector in Port Harcourt?
You can ask for identification and a written bill and offer to pay at the agency's office or official account. If a collector becomes threatening, put your safety first and report it afterwards.
Where can I pay Rivers State taxes officially?
Through RIRS's RIVTAMIS portal, its designated accounts or its offices, such as Revenue House in the Amadi Ama layout.
Sources
- Multiple taxation in Rivers State: the causes and impacts on businesses (Stakeholder Democracy Network, 2024) · accessed Oct 2026
- Rivers govt urged to protect businesses from fraudulent, violent tax collectors (Vanguard, March 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- Rivers State Internal Revenue Service (overview) · accessed Oct 2026
This article is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice. Products described are provided under the terms on this site and are subject to regulation and eligibility.