I Receive Threats for Fixing Broken Tax System

Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, Taiwo Oyedele, has disclosed that he has received threats to his life over his involvement in implementing Nigeria’s wide-ranging tax reforms.

Oyedele stated this in Abuja on Tuesday while speaking at a governance colloquium held to mark the 50th birthday of the Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination, Hajiya Hadiza Bala-Usman.

He said that pursuing reforms that challenge entrenched interests demands exceptional courage, particularly within a system that has historically resisted change.

According to him, tax reforms are especially difficult because they confront long-standing inefficiencies and vested interests.

Oyedele identified deep-rooted public mistrust of the government, weak tax compliance, and a poor understanding of fiscal exchange as key obstacles to successful implementation.

I Receive Threats for Fixing Broken Tax System - Oyedele — I Receive Threats for Fixing Broken Tax System – Taiwo Oyedele.

He noted that Nigeria’s tax revenue remains significantly lower than that of comparable countries, making comprehensive reform unavoidable, and called on Nigerians who support the reforms to speak out, warning that silence would allow opponents to dominate the public narrative.

Oyedele further described trust as the most critical challenge, explaining that many Nigerians mistakenly believe the reforms introduce new taxes, rather than reduce and harmonise existing levies.

Despite facing online abuse and personal threats, Oyedele defended the reform strategy, arguing that previous approaches amounted to temporary fixes that failed to deliver lasting results.

Oyedele further expressed optimism about Nigeria’s reform trajectory, describing the current momentum as unprecedented and urging citizens to remain committed to achieving sustainable fiscal stability.

The Nigerian Government began enforcing the new tax regime on January 1, 2026, following the enactment of four major laws: the Nigeria Tax Act 2025, the Nigeria Tax Administration Act 2025, the Nigeria Revenue Service Establishment Act 2025, and the Joint Revenue Board Establishment Act 2025.