Fair tax system essential for financing government operations, says Tinubu

President Bola Tinubu says a transparent and fair tax system is essential for financing government operations.

Tinubu spoke on Tuesday at the 27th annual tax conference of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN) in Abuja.

The theme of the conference was “Taxation for Development: Policies, Law and Implementation”.

Tinubu, who was represented by Doris Uzoka-Anite, minister of state for finance, said his administration is committed to bold and comprehensive reforms to reposition Nigeria’s fiscal architecture for resilience, inclusion, and growth — with taxation as the central pillar.

”I believe that a robust, transparent and fair tax system is essential not only for financing government operations but also for creating an environment of accountability, stability and long-term development,” the president said.

”Accordingly, the government has taken deliberate steps to restructure and modernise our tax administration and legal framework.

”In this regard, the establishment of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms marked a significant turning point.”

According to Tinubu, the committee was mandated to simplify taxes, broaden the base, reduce leakages, and ensure alignment between fiscal policy and national development objectives.

“Members of the committee worked tirelessly to achieve their mandates, which include addressing issues of multiplicity of taxes and improving coordination between the federal, state and local government tax authorities,” he said.

“The federal government also pushed forward with the Economy Stabilisation Bill, which has now also been passed.”

The president said the effectiveness of any reform lies in its implementation, noting that the conference offers a platform for stakeholders to examine how policies and legislation can be turned into tangible and measurable results.

“This is also an occasion to discuss solutions to long-standing issues such as taxation, informal sector integration, fiscal federalism and equity in taxation,” he added.

“As tax professionals and policy makers, you are the custodians of Nigeria’s tax future.

“I, therefore, urge you to leverage this platform to engage meaningfully, challenge assumptions and craft pathways that will strengthen our tax institutions, boost revenue and ultimately improve the lives of Nigerians.”

’TAXATION CRUCIAL TO ACHIEVEMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT’

Also speaking, vice-president Kashim Shettima said the theme of the conference reflected CITN’s recognition of the critical role government revenue plays in driving national growth and development.

Shettima, who was represented by Tope Fasua, special adviser to the president on economic affairs in the office of the vice president, said the focus on taxation highlights the shared responsibility between taxpayers and the government as the tax administrator.

“Taxation is crucial to the achievement of economic development,” Shettima said.

“We hope to listen to ideas at this conference around how to ensure that a stakeholder’s view is taken right from the policy enactment stage up to the point of implementation.

“This is bearing in mind that taxation is a continuous affair, and legitimacy is conferred by the delivery of service to taxpayers.

”The need for a stakeholder point of view is why the Presidential Committee of Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms is made up of professionals from diverse walks of life.”

In his remarks, Samuel Agbeluyi, 16th president of the CITN council, described taxation as not just a revenue tool but a powerful instrument for promoting equity, redistributing wealth, incentivising growth, and funding public services.

“However, for taxation to truly serve these developmental goals, policy formulation, legal framework and implementation mechanisms must be harmoniously aligned,” Agbeluyi said.

“When policy is progressive, the law is enabling and implementation is both efficient and equitable.

“The result is a tax system that engenders trust, encourages voluntary compliance and delivers shared prosperity,” Agbeluyi said.

He said Nigeria is grappling with major challenges across economic, security, and social dimensions, stressing the urgent need for sustainable solutions.

The CITN president commended the Tinubu administration for prioritising fiscal reforms, noting that the committee’s efforts demonstrate a strong commitment to driving sustainable socio-economic development through a robust and efficient tax system.