FG tasked to engage tax professionals for reform execution

The federal government has been charged to engage tax professionals in an effort to execute the tax reforms billed to commence January 2026. The former governor of Lagos, Akinwummi Ambode stated this during the 2025 annual dinners and awards ceremony of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN), underscoring the importance of tax professionals, […]

The federal government has been charged to engage tax professionals in an effort to execute the tax reforms billed to commence January 2026.

The former governor of Lagos, Akinwummi Ambode stated this during the 2025 annual dinners and awards ceremony of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN), underscoring the importance of tax professionals, saying they possess the expertise needed to educate the public.

“Most government reforms don’t actually get into where they’re supposed to get because they are actually dumped in the Ministry of Information of that government. The Ministry of Information is just to inform people about what has been done rather than educating and advocating, those who are actually experts in that area. So what you find out is there is a communication gap in what the government is trying to do and what the public is expecting.

“So in this wise, the tax reform, no matter how good it is on paper, if it is not acceptable by the public, it will not work. So the best belt of consultants that the government can engage who will now go out on behalf of the government and in terms of consultancy is actually the tax experts.”

Ambode who was the chairman of the occasion commended the federal government over the introduction of the new tax reform describing it as a pathway for effective revenue generation scheme.

The Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms,

Taiwo Oyedele, who was a recipient of the award, in an interview with newsmen reiterated that the new tax reform is poised at reducing inequality and not taxing poverty.

“What the new tax law is going to do is to exempt low income earners and reduce the tax on middle class and then ask the high income earners as it should be to pay a little bit more and that is what we call progressive taxation otherwise what we are doing  is increasing inequality and taxing poverty.

“That is not what Nigerians want, what Nigerians want is prosperity for everyone and to pay according to their ability,” he said.

The institute’s President, Innocent Ohagwa urged the members to ensure the smooth implementation of the new tax reform.

“With the new tax reform Acts set for full implementation from 1st January 2026, our task  as an Institute and as professionals is far from over.  Indeed, it is only just beginning.

“Our collective expertise which has been refined through years of training, experience and  dedication to professionalism must now become the engine that drives the reform through continuous advocacy and individual and collective support from paper to  practice,” he said.