NOA to launch grassroots campaign ahead of tax reforms implementation

The National Orientation Agency (NOA) says it will begin a nationwide sensitisation campaign to counter misinformation ahead of the implementation of the federal government’s new tax reforms on January 1, 2026.

Lanre Issa-Onilu, director-general (DG) of the NOA, said the agency will deploy nearly 200 radio stations broadcasting in 72 local languages, as well as its presence in all 774 local government areas, to deliver accurate information on the tax reforms to citizens.

Issa-Onilu spoke on Friday while receiving a delegation led by Taiwo Oyedele, chairman of the presidential fiscal policy and tax reforms committee, at the NOA headquarters in Abuja.

“It took me several months, even after it had been passed, to begin to understand,” he said.

“I have a responsibility to lead the team that will communicate to ordinary Nigerians, so I must understand beyond the level of an average Nigerian to be able to communicate to them and break it down in the language that they would understand.

“So we’ve done a lot of publications, the weekly explainer, we’ve done one or two cover stories about the reform, but we also realise that it continues to evolve.

“We will put all our tools of engagement at the committee’s disposal to ensure Nigerians are properly informed.”

Speaking earlier, Oyedele said the reforms were designed to ease the financial burden on citizens.

He said widespread false narratives were fuelling needless anxiety across the country.

“You can say subsidy removal came with some amount of pain and sacrifice,” he said.

“Naira floatation also meant people had to pay more. These were painful reforms which are expected to yield results in the medium to long term. But this tax reform is coming with benefits.

“Exemption for small businesses, exemption for workers, low-income earners. Middle class reduce their taxes. Big companies reduce their taxes. Harmonise taxes.”

Oyedele said the changes were the most “consequential and beneficial” fiscal reform he had seen in his career.

The tax committee chairman lamented that misinformation was travelling faster than facts.

“Unfortunately, in our environment, it seems that if you have good news, it doesn’t go viral,” he said.

“If you can manage to create misinformation, fake news, so long as it’s negative, it tends to go viral and go viral very quickly.”

Oyedele said the committee was prioritising grassroots sensitisation to counter fear and speculation.

He added that the NOA had the structure and expertise required for nationwide public engagement.

“You have the structure, you have the skill, you have the experience,” he said.

“We are not even communications people. The one we can explain is the technicalities of what we are doing.”

Oyedele added that the partnership with NOA would ensure Nigerians fully understood the benefits of the reforms.

“We need an approach that will get this information to the grassroots,” he said.

The tax reform laws were signed by President Bola Tinubu in June as part of a wider effort to simplify and strengthen Nigeria’s fiscal system.