ABUJA – The Federal Government has reaffirmed that it has no plans to increase tax rates, insisting that its focus is on expanding the country’s tax base by ensuring that all eligible taxpayers fulfill their tax obligations.
The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, made this known on Thursday while receiving a delegation from the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN) at his office in Abuja.
Oyedele commended the institute for introducing a National Tax Awareness Day and for its continued support of the Federal Government’s ongoing tax reform agenda.
He urged the CITN to intensify public sensitisation efforts, noting that many Nigerians still perceive taxation as merely a means for the government to collect money from citizens.
According to the minister, the government’s priority is not to impose higher taxes but to improve tax compliance by bringing more eligible individuals and businesses into the tax net.
“We are still not getting enough revenue from taxes,” Oyedele said.
“It is not about increasing taxes but making sure that those who are supposed to pay tax pay. We want to promote fairness in tax administration.”
The minister stressed that broadening the tax base would not only boost government revenue but also ensure a more equitable tax system, where the burden is fairly shared among all eligible taxpayers.
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