The Federal Government has been urged to introduce tax rebates for individuals and organizations investing in education, healthcare, food security, and poverty eradication initiatives across Nigeria.
The call was made by Pastor Titus Temisan of Christ Embassy during the InnerCity Mission Global Roundtable Conference on “Developing Local Humanitarian Solutions to Global Challenges,” held in Lagos to mark the World Food Day and the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.
Representing the founder of Christ Embassy and the faith-based empowerment initiative, Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, Temisan emphasized that while poverty might never be completely eradicated, its impact could be drastically reduced through collective compassion and legislative incentives.
According to him, education remains the most powerful weapon against poverty, next only to the gospel. “If a person or organization builds a school, provides scholarships, or distributes food to thousands, such acts should attract tax rebates, just as it happens in Europe,” he said, urging governments at all levels to encourage such humanitarian efforts through policy support.
Inspired by the Mission’s provision of free education, daily meals, uniforms, shoes, and books to indigent children rescued from the streets, three members of the National Assembly present at the event expressed admiration for the scale of impact being made.
One of them, Hon. Dumnamene Dekor, who represents Khana/Gokana Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, described the initiative as “a rare example of compassion in action” and pledged his six-month salary to support the Mission’s work.
Dekor, who chairs the House Committee on Host Communities, lamented the gap between policy and implementation in Nigeria, stressing that “our challenge is not the absence of policy but the failure of implementation.”
He noted that if even half of the education budget were effectively executed, Nigeria’s development outlook would drastically improve. Dekor also revealed plans to collaborate with the Mission through the Host Communities Development Trusts established under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), to replicate the model in local areas.
“We have over 120 development trusts across host communities, with some already holding up to ₦10 million. We’ll work to channel part of those funds toward education and humanitarian projects like this,” he said, adding that true leadership “goes beyond building roads or hospitals—it’s about touching lives, giving hope, and restoring dignity to those who have been forgotten.”
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