Taiwo Oyedele, Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, has assured Nigerians that the recently gazetted tax laws are structured to deliver long-term benefits rather than impose additional burdens.
Speaking on the concerns raised by citizens, Oyedele clarified that the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has not introduced any new taxes in its two years in office. He acknowledged the politically sensitive nature of tax reform and called for sustained engagement with labour unions and business associations.
He described the reforms as forming part of a new social contract between government and citizens. “People do not resist taxes because they don’t want to pay,” Oyedele remarked. “They resist because they do not trust that the money will be used for their benefit. This law is about building that trust by ensuring accountability and transparency.”
He stressed that the government’s fiscal reforms are designed to secure future prosperity, not to penalise citizens. “I am not aware of any tax that this Tinubu administration has introduced,” he said, noting that it was curious such a perception had taken root. He attributed the misunderstanding to the widespread distrust of political leaders.
According to Oyedele, Nigeria’s tax system remains “complex, fragmented, and regressive,” with more than 60 different taxes and 200 levies currently imposed by various agencies. The new laws, he explained, aim to simplify compliance, abolish nuisance levies, and create a streamlined framework that increases revenue without suffocating businesses.
He underlined that the reforms are not about seeking applause but about delivering measurable outcomes. Nigeria’s tax-to-GDP ratio, he observed, is below 10 percent, one of the lowest in Africa, despite widespread complaints that citizens are overtaxed.
Outlining the objectives of the new regime, Oyedele said the reforms will broaden the tax base while shielding low-income earners, lower the cost of doing business especially for small and medium enterprises, generate sustainable revenue for critical infrastructure, healthcare and education, improve investor confidence by ensuring predictability, and curb corruption through the digitalisation of collection.
He added that state and local governments will also benefit, as the reforms will provide a clear legal framework for revenue collection and prevent the use of arbitrary levies that discourage enterprise.
Concluding, Oyedele expressed optimism that if the government “gets it right,” Nigerians will begin to see tax payment as a civic duty that fuels national development.
