Senate President Godswill Akpabio revealed on Monday that less than 30% of Nigerians pay taxes to the Federal Government. Despite this, he noted that citizens still expect the government to provide top-tier infrastructure, education, security, and other essential services.
Akpabio made the statement while declaring open a public hearing on tax reform bills submitted to the National Assembly by President Bola Tinubu on October 3, 2024. The hearing was focused on the necessity of reforming the country’s tax system to ensure better governance and economic sustainability.
The Senate President stressed the importance of tax reforms, stating that Nigeria cannot afford to repeat past practices without enacting meaningful changes. He explained that once the reform bills are passed, the National Assembly would strengthen its oversight to ensure resources are used effectively.
Akpabio encouraged Nigerians to engage more deeply with the legislative process rather than relying on social media narratives. “The public hearing should be used to think of a better Nigeria. I will stay for two days and participate in the process because I am tired of social media. Most leaders in this country never saw the content of the bills before attacking the process,” he said.
He further urged participants to obtain copies of the tax reform bills and examine them carefully, rather than depending on misinformation.
Among those present at the hearing were the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun; Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN); Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, Zacch Adedeji; and the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service.
Senator Sani Musa (APC, Niger East), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, also spoke at the hearing. He emphasized the importance of the tax reform bills and noted that the committee had invited 71 stakeholder groups to contribute to the discussions. “Both the Senate and the House of Representatives have done the second reading on the reform bills and are ready for the public hearing,” Musa said.
He added that the bills aim to enhance government revenue and improve economic sustainability by strengthening tax administration, collection, and operations in Nigeria.
The tax reform bills being discussed include the Nigeria Tax Bill (NTB) 2024, the Nigeria Tax Administration Bill (NTAB) 2024, the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill (NRSEB) 2024, and the Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Bill (JRBEB) 2024. These bills passed their second reading in the Senate on November 28, 2024, and have since been forwarded to the Committee on Finance for further legislative scrutiny.
