FG Targets Wider Tax Compliance, Says More Nigerians Must Pay Taxes

Nigeria’s Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, has said the Federal Government is focused on expanding the country’s tax base rather than increasing tax rates, insisting that more eligible Nigerians and businesses should be brought into the tax system to improve revenue generation.

Speaking on Thursday in Abuja while receiving the leadership of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN) during a courtesy visit, Oyedele said the government’s tax reform agenda is designed to promote fairness, improve compliance and strengthen the nation’s economy.

The visit marked the conclusion of the Institute’s maiden National Tax Awareness Day, which featured a road walk, taxpayer education at Wuse Market and a visit to the headquarters of the Nigerian Revenue Service.

The event also coincided with the first anniversary of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu signing the Tax Reform Acts into law on June 26, 2025.

Oyedele said misconceptions surrounding taxation remain one of the biggest obstacles to compliance, noting that many Nigerians wrongly assume that every tax reform is intended to increase the amount they pay.

“We are still not getting enough revenue from taxes; it is not about increasing taxes, but making sure that those who are supposed to pay taxes pay.

“We want to promote fairness in tax administration,” he said.

According to the minister, expanding the number of compliant taxpayers, rather than raising tax rates, would create a more equitable tax system while providing government with the resources needed to drive economic growth and development.

He also encouraged the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria to establish annual awards recognising the country’s most compliant taxpayers, saying such incentives would encourage voluntary tax compliance and foster a stronger culture of civic responsibility.

Earlier, the President of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria, Innocent Ohagwa, said the National Tax Awareness Day was introduced to improve public understanding of the country’s ongoing tax reforms and encourage voluntary compliance.

He observed that although the Tax Reform Acts have been in operation for one year, many taxpayers, businesses and other stakeholders are still uncertain about the provisions of the new laws and how they affect them.

“The laws have been signed, implementation has begun, yet many taxpayers and stakeholders are still grappling with what has changed, what remains the same and how these provisions affect their businesses and personal affairs,” Ohagwa said.

He stressed the need for sustained public education to bridge the knowledge gap and ensure Nigerians fully understand their tax obligations under the new legal framework.