This year, the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has allowed Kenyans to file nil returns on eCitizen. This has seen a huge number of taxpayers leave the traditional iTax system of filing returns for eCitizen which is considered as easier and more user friendly.
According to KRA Deputy Commissioner for Taxpayer Services Patience Njau, as of early June 2025, only about 2 million people had filed nil returns on iTax. On the other end, about 12 million Kenyans had filed nil returns on eCitizen.
“We are working on improving the iTax portal but we realized that even if we simplify it as much as possible, just the fact that it is a tax portal scares people away. On eCitizen, it is very simple. The KRA platform is designed for tax services, not for the normal citizen and that is why most people struggle with it,” she said.
This is the latest move in a series of migration of services to the eCitizen platform by the taxman. Already, the KRA has made it possible to generate sales invoices via eCitizen. The platform also supports checking tax compliance status, generating compliance certificates, viewing tax statements, and making income and VAT payments for individuals and businesses.
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How to file Nil returns on eCitizen:
- Start by visiting the eCitizen portal, log in with your normal eCitizen credentials, and then go to eCitizen KRA. You will require your national identification number and a phone number or access to you registered email address through which a one-time password (OTP) shall be sent for verification and access to your dashboard.
- After logging in, select KRA services and navigate to the tax filing section. In the section, choose Nil returns if you had no taxable income for the year. Confirm that your details, including your KRA pin and personal details, are correct.
- After confirmation of your personal details, click submit, and you will receive a confirmation message.
