ICYMI: Only 19% of Nigerians pay taxes, says FIRS boss

Zacch Adedeji, the executive chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), says studies have shown that only 19 percent of Nigerians pay tax.

Adedeji spoke on Tuesday at the launch of a book, titled ‘Taxation: Essential Knowledge for Nigerian Children by the FIRS’.

The FIRS chairman was represented by Aisha Mahmoud, his special adviser on research and statistics.

He said the book, written by Aderonke Atoyebi and Ejura Haruna, was fully supported by the FIRS to help educate the younger generation on the importance of tax payment.

“First of all, I want to say that we have run a couple of studies and we have found out that tax compliance is positively correlated with tax education,” he said.

“When children are educated, they grow up to become responsible people, pay their taxes and do what is right. We have carried out studies and we have found out that only 19 percent of Nigerians pay taxes.

“Other studies have shown that only 10 percent of people pay taxes. Because we rely so much on research and investigations, some have shown that only 10–15 percent of citizens pay taxes.

“We think that this is decimally low compared to other countries, even in Africa. We have come up with the initiative to ensure that we partner with other government institutions, individuals, like this one, to propagate, encourage, educate, and create awareness for our younger ones.

“Why? Because it is easier to make younger children to become tax compliant when they grow up than reform tax-dodging adults.

“That is why we support anywhere that there are initiatives to publish books like we have done today.”

Adedeji said building a generation of tax-compliant citizens would lead to greater demand for accountability and ensure public funds are used transparently and responsibly.

“When they are taught and they are subjects on taxation from the primary level, especially, and the secondary school level, when they reach the university, they have already known about that civil duty,” the FIRS boss said.

“It is not only the students of accounting that should know about taxation, a lot of people are not aware of tax issues, and that is why they dodge and that is why they evade paying taxes.”

The taxman said including tax education in primary and secondary school curricula would shape children’s mindset towards responsible citizenship and tax compliance.

‘60,000 COPIES TO BE DISTRIBUTED NATIONWIDE’

Atoyebi, the book’s co-author and technical assistant on broadcast media to the chairman, said 60,000 copies, produced free of charge, will be distributed across the six geopolitical zones with support from the FIRS and Sprezzatura Publishing.

She said the book was designed to bridge the gap between citizens and tax authorities by helping children understand the purpose and benefits of taxation.

“They always say that nobody wants to pay tax. This is why we’re catching them young, to let them know that some of the social amenities they have access to, some of the infrastructural facilities we have in the nation today are being funded via revenue generated,” Atoyebi said.

“We are teaching them about taking civic responsibility. The book addresses civic responsibility, governance, how to be a serious adult. The importance of that position. What are we using taxes for? Taxes do not go to personal accounts. It goes to government accounts. In return, the government uses it to fund infrastructure, social amenities, to give us a good life.”

On education tax, she said some of the revenue collected goes to education, “especially TETFund”.

She added that the book used comic illustrations and simple language to make tax education easy and enjoyable for children by breaking down technical terms into basic English.