The Tax Reform Bill is expected to tackle poverty and uplift ordinary Nigerians, the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee has said.
Chairman of the Committee, Taiwo Oyedele, gave the assurance at the Spokespersons’ Summit hosted by the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, NIPR, in Abuja.
Oyedele expressed confidence that the proposed reforms, which are now close to presidential assent, will significantly ease the burden on low-income earners and small businesses.
Key provisions of the bill include the removal of Personal Income Tax for low-income earners, zero per cent Corporate Income for small businesses, and the exemption of basic necessities like food, healthcare, and education from Value Added Tax.
“The goal is to empower Nigerians to build wealth first, before contributing to the tax pool. When they succeed, they will pay taxes—not before,” he said.
Oyedele acknowledged that taxation is rarely popular, especially when citizens cannot clearly see its benefits. He said the committee’s approach was data-driven and rooted in solving Nigeria’s unique challenges with locally-developed solutions.
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“We listened, engaged with facts, and designed a reform tailored for Nigerians, by Nigerians,” he added.
He commended NIPR for creating a platform to clarify government policies, noting that effective communication is essential in ensuring the people understand and support reforms.
NIPR President, Dr Ike Neliaku, stressed the importance of involving professional communicators in policy design to ensure clarity and public buy-in.
He said the communication sector must help translate complex policies into relatable messages, noting that poor messaging gave room for mischief-makers to misinform the public.
Dr Nkechi Ali-Balogun, a Fellow of NIPR, called for gender-sensitive taxation policies. She advocated for exemptions for women, especially single mothers and breadwinners, to boost economic support for families.
She applauded the summit for enhancing participants’ knowledge of national issues and the role of strategic communication in policy implementation.
NAN
