President Muhammadu Buhari has appointed Dr. William Babatunde Fowler as the Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).

Dr. Fowler was the Chief Executive Officer/Executive Chairman of the Lagos State Board of Internal Revenue from 2005 to 2014.

He had his higher education in the United States where he obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Wisconsin and a Master of Business Administration degree from the California State University.

Before joining the service of the Lagos State Government, Dr. Fowler worked in the banking sector for about 20 years with long stints at Credit Lyonnais Nigeria Limited and Chartered Bank.

Under his leadership, the Lagos State Board of Internal Revenue reportedly achieved a sharp increase in internally generated revenue from an average of N3.6 billion per month in January 2006, to an average of about N20.5 billion per month in 2013.

Fowler, who holds an Honorary Doctorate Degree of the Irish International University, is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria and the Business Management Association of the United Kingdom.

According to a statement by the Presidential Media Adviser, Femi Adesina, he will serve as Acting Executive Chairman of FIRS until his appointment is confirmed by the Senate.

Meanwhile, President Mohammadu Buhari has also appointed Mr Aliyu Yahaya Gusau as Director-General Budget Office of the Federation.

Until his appointment, Mr Aliyu Yahaya Gusau was the Director, Fiscal Policy, Budget Monitoring and Evaluation and Acting Director- General, Budget Office of the Federation at the exit of the former Director- General, Dr Bright Okogu.

The new DG Budget Office of the Federation (BOF) hails from Zamfara State.He holds a Bachelor of Science (BSC) Degree in Economics from Ahmadu Bello University Zaria.

The appointment takes effect from Tuesday,18th August,2015 with a term of Four years renewable for a further term of Four years, a statement by the Director of Press, Marshall Gundu stated.