90% of Nigerians support tax reform bills – Taiwo Oyedele

The Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms (PCFPTR), Taiwo Oyedele, says that 90% of Nigerians support the tax reform bills introduced by the Tinubu administration.

OyedeLe said this while speaking at a special town hall meeting organized for the bills which was aired on Channels TV on Monday, December 2. While speaking, Oyedele shared insights from a survey conducted by his team involving over 3,000 participants, both online and offline. According to him, the survey showed that many Nigerians loved the bill and were in support of it.

“Among those who attended in person, the approval rate was 100%. For those who engaged online or watched recorded sessions, approval was at 92%. Even among those who only followed updates without participating directly, approval reached 76%. Overall, support for the reforms exceeds 90%,” Oyedele explained.

He emphasized that the reform bills contain over 200 transformative provisions aimed at unlocking Nigeria’s economic potential and charting a path to prosperity. 

“We should not let one or two controversial provisions that can be discussed and resolved derail this process,” he said

In September, President Bola Tinubu submitted Four tax reform bills to the National Assembly based on recommendations from the PCFPTR. These include: The Nigeria Tax Bill 2024; Establishing a fiscal framework for taxation in the country and the Tax Administration Bill which will provide a streamlined legal framework for tax administration and reducing disputes.

Others are the Nigeria Revenue Service Establishment Bill, to replace the Federal Inland Revenue Service Act to create the Nigeria Revenue Service and the Joint Revenue Board Establishment Bill, to create a tax tribunal and a tax ombudsman.

The bills have however been met with stiff criticism from some state governors who argue that the bills will only benefit states like Lagos and Rivers states. Northern governors who are against the bill have called for it to be withdrawn.