Opponents of Tax Reform are enemies of Nigeria ? Okupe

Dr. Doyin Okupe, a former presidential spokesman, has described critics of the proposed Tax Reform Bills as adversaries of Nigeria, emphasizing that the reforms are “pro-poor and pro-development.”

Speaking during an interview in Lagos, Okupe expressed disbelief that anyone would oppose reforms aimed at alleviating the financial burden on the poor and curbing corruption.

“Any right-thinking human being who has had the opportunity in these last two months or so to listen and to read what the tax reforms are all about and goes against it is an enemy of the country,” Okupe said.

He elaborated on the reforms, highlighting measures designed to exempt the majority of poor citizens from tax obligations and ensure fairer taxation for businesses.

“We are saying that majority of poor people should not pay tax, how can anybody be against that? These reform bills are saying that companies that are not making money cannot be taxed arbitrarily. Their taxation will be based on revenue that they have generated and profit that they made, not on turnover. And if your turnover is below 50 million, you are exempted, should anyone oppose this? If these tax bills can be passed, they will also help reduce corruption,” Okupe added.

On opposition to the bills from certain northern stakeholders, Okupe dismissed their concerns as unfounded, pointing out that Nigeria’s current reliance on oil revenue is unsustainable.

“Go and look at all countries in the world, the major source of revenue for government is taxation, but we don’t consider tax as an issue because we just take the oil, and then look at what are we going to get in the next 12 months for budget,” he explained.

He commended the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) for its recent strides in revenue generation but noted that Nigeria’s tax-to-GDP ratio remains among the lowest globally.

“Our tax-to-GDP ratio is one of the lowest in the world, and here is a country that requires immense amount of money and revenue for development. Population is high, land mass is big and huge. Therefore, we need money, and this tax reform is saying, ‘yes, we need money, but we cannot tax people who are already strangulated. Leave those ones alone.

“There are young people who are making money, who go to clubs and spend N3 million, N4 million and so on in a night. Those are the people that need to be taxed, not the man at the door earning N70,000 monthly,” Okupe argued. He dismissed concerns about the timing and speed of the proposed reforms, stating that addressing the country’s economic challenges requires urgency.

“Whatever is causing economic and financial hemorrhage must be given the speed it requires,” he said, emphasizing that the reforms would bolster states’ internally generated revenue and improve the welfare of citizens.

Okupe also urged President Bola Tinubu to ensure the close monitoring of revenue-generating agencies to eliminate corruption.

“With adequate technology in place, the fight against corruption would be won, and Nigerians would be free,” he said, adding that agencies such as Customs, Immigration, and the Nigerian Ports Authority should adopt emerging technologies to tackle corruption effectively. When these reforms that Bola Tinubu is introducing, when they come on-stream, corruption will go,” Okupe concluded.

The Tax Reform Bills, which include the Nigeria Tax Bill, Nigeria Tax Administration Bill, Nigeria Revenue Service Establishment Bill, and the Joint Revenue Board Establishment Bill, were submitted to the National Assembly by President Tinubu on October 3.

Speaking during a recent presidential media chat, Tinubu reiterated that the reforms were designed to “eliminate colonial-based assumptions” in Nigeria’s tax system.