FROM BANKING TO PUBLIC SECTOR: PRINCE EDWIN OKON’S 3-YEAR RECORD OF REVENUE EXCELLENCE IN CROSS RIVER STATE
By Dr. Okpo Ojah Jnr.
By June 19th 2026, Prince Edwin Oliver Okon, Ph.D., will mark three years as Executive Chairman of the Cross River Internal Revenue Service. In 36 months, he has shown what happens when technocratic discipline meets public service.
Born over five decades ago to the family of Etubom O. O. Ndowong III of Eki Clan, Odukpani LGA, Prince Okon was educated at Hope Waddell Training Institution, Calabar. He graduated from the University of Port Harcourt as Best Student in Finance and Banking, earning multiple awards. He later obtained an MBA and M.Sc. in Finance from the University of Lagos, and recently a Ph.D. in Development Finance from the University of Calabar.
His professional pedigree is equally rigorous: Member, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN); Fellow, Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN); Fellow, Chartered Institute of Cost Management of Nigeria (CICM); Member, Chartered Fraud Examiners, USA (CFE); and Member, Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN).
From Corporate Banking to Public Treasury
Prince Okon built a distinguished career across Operations, Audit, Compliance, and Corporate Banking before exiting the industry in June 2023 as Group Head, FMCG in a top-tier financial institution, where he managed regional corporates and multinational businesses across Nigeria and other African countries.
In June 2023, Governor Senator Prince Bassey Edet Otu appointed him to lead Cross River State Internal Revenue Service (CRIRS). He arrived with a banker’s toolkit: data discipline, risk controls, client service, and performance dashboards.
The results of that confidence repose on him by His Excellency, the Governor Senator Prince Bassey Edet Otu are visible and the impact is unmistakable. Cross River’s Internally Generated Revenue rose from ₦22.2 billion in 2022 to ₦36.3 billion in 2024, then surged to ₦57.4 billion in 2025, about 152% increase in three fiscal years.
The momentum has accelerated into 2026. The first quarter of 2026 is averaging ₦17.4 billion, showing impressive month-on-month improvement and putting the state on track for another record year. This sustained growth has directly funded Governor Otu’s “People’s First” agenda and has helped rank Cross River among Nigeria’s top five states on the Transparency Index.
Prince Okon’s transformation is anchored on Eight Pillars of Reform:
1. Automation & Digital Transformation: E-assessment, e-payment, and real-time taxpayer databases replaced manual processes which has blocked revenue leakages to a considerable extent.
2. Capacity Building & Staff Welfare: Beyond training, he introduced health insurance for staff — a historic first for the Service.
3. Conducive Work Environment: Tax offices across the state were renovated, restoring dignity to staff and taxpayers.
4. Taxpayer Education & Stakeholder Engagement: Town halls and grassroots outreach turned taxation into dialogue.
5. Interagency Collaboration: CRIRS now works seamlessly with MDAs, security agencies, and federal bodies to harmonize compliance.
6. Customer-Centric Service Delivery: Taxpayers are treated as clients, with faster response times and tracked complaints.
7. Policy Reform: He led the review of state tax laws to align with Nigeria’s new tax legislation.
8. Revenue Expansion: Data-driven enumeration onboarded high net-worth individuals, new companies, and previously unregistered taxpayers, widening the tax net without raising rates.
Prince Edwin Okon, Ph.D., sees his staff as colleagues not as subordinates which has greatly boosted their morale for effective work performance and the corresponding increase in revenue generation.
According to the Executive Chairman, “we are building a tax culture that sees revenue officers and taxpayers as critical stakeholders in the development process of our dear state.” Prince Okon affirms this philosophy drives both the reforms and revenue generation.
This impressive revenue performance, of course, has earned him national recognition and a nomination for “Outstanding Tax Leadership and Revenue Growth” by UK-based InstinctWave, alongside multiple awards from civil and professional bodies. He currently sits on the Joint Tax Board, Abuja; Appraisal and Technical Committee; as well as Multi-stakeholder Committee for Oil Palm, Cocoa & Coffee; the State Consultative Committee on Statistics; and the Budget Review Committee.
The Man Behind the Mandate
A Rotarian, Prince Okon is married to Dr. Mrs. Ime Maria Edwin Okon, also a Rotarian. They are blessed with three children. Staff of the revenue agency describe him as a chairman who reviews compliance dashboards in the morning and commissions renovated tax offices in the evening.
Beyond the office, Prince Okon remains deeply rooted in community service. He built a town hall at Idim Ndom Eki in Odukpani LGA, providing his people with a modern civic space for dialogue and development. He has also facilitated jobs for his people at both state and federal MDAs, and continues to provide scholarships and medical support to indigent students and families in his community.
Dr Okpo Ojah Jnr is a Public Affairs Analyst, writes from Calabar.
