Thursday, April 17, 2025 - The Chairman of the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee, Taiwo Oyedele, has stated that the Tax Reform Bill will significantly reduce poverty and empower ordinary Nigerians.
Speaking at the Spokespersons’ Summit organised by the
Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) in Abuja, Oyedele expressed
confidence in the positive changes the bill is set to bring, particularly for
low-income earners and small businesses.
He highlighted key features of the proposed reform, including
the exemption of low-income earners from paying Personal Income Tax (PAYE), and
the removal of Value Added Tax (VAT) on essential goods and services such as
food, education, and healthcare.
Additionally, the bill proposes a zero per cent Corporate
Income Tax (CIT) rate for small businesses. Oyedele acknowledged that despite
its benefits, the bill has faced criticism and misunderstandings.
“Tax issues are not always popular
because people find it difficult to part with their money—especially when they
can’t see the benefits of what the government is doing with it,” he said.
According to him, the committee’s approach was to identify
challenges through data and design a solution tailored to Nigeria’s needs.
“That is exactly what we have done with the tax reform bill,
which is now close to being passed and signed by the President,” he added.
Oyedele emphasized that once implementation begins,
Nigerians—especially those in lower-income brackets—will start to experience
real improvements in their daily lives.
“We want Nigerians to have the
opportunity to create wealth. When they succeed, they can then pay taxes—not
the other way around,” he said.
He also commended NIPR for organizing the summit and for
promoting public understanding of government policies.
In his remarks, NIPR President and Chairman of Council, Dr
Ike Neliaku, stressed the importance of involving professional communicators in
policy formulation. He said communicators play a crucial role in explaining
complex policies to the public.
“When the government says, ‘This is
what we want to do,’ it’s up to trained experts—not quacks—to develop effective
communication strategies,” Neliaku stated.
He noted that the tax reform was misunderstood largely due to
poor communication, which gave room for misinformation.
To address this, NIPR and its partners are working with the
government to create a comprehensive tax communication framework. Similar
efforts are also ongoing in areas such as climate action and science
communication.
Neliaku urged spokespersons to continually update their
knowledge and stay informed on current trends and issues to communicate
effectively.
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