Lack of deliverables undermines taxation in Nigeria — Expert

A chartered accountant and investment banker, Adaze Aguele-Kalu, has identified lack of accountability and visible deliverables as a major challenge facing Nigeria’s taxation system and its contribution to national development. Aguele-Kalu made this known while delivering a keynote address at a seminar held during the 2026 Accounting Week organised by the Institute of Chartered Accountants […]

A chartered accountant and investment banker, Adaze Aguele-Kalu, has identified lack of accountability and visible deliverables as a major challenge facing Nigeria’s taxation system and its contribution to national development.

Aguele-Kalu made this known while delivering a keynote address at a seminar held during the 2026 Accounting Week organised by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Kubwa and District Society, Diamond District, on Thursday in Abuja.

Speaking on the theme, “Aligning Taxation with Nation-building: The Role of Chartered Accountants,” she said a key difference between Nigeria’s tax system and those of other countries is the perceived absence of tangible outcomes from taxes paid by citizens.

According to her, “Nigerians are not seeing the deliverables of the taxes they pay due to lack of proper accountability and transparency.”

She stressed that tax revenues should translate into improved public services, including healthcare, transportation and infrastructure, noting that these areas still require significant improvement.

Aguele-Kalu also called for enhanced transparency, accountability and digitalisation in tax administration to strengthen service delivery and economic growth. She added that the Nigerian Revenue Service should be further strengthened to improve efficiency in tax collection and administration.

Highlighting the role of professionals, she urged chartered accountants to uphold ethical and professional standards, noting that their responsibilities intersect with national development. She also emphasised the need for continuous learning to remain relevant in a changing global environment.

Other speakers at the event underscored the importance of technology and innovation in taxation. A financial expert, Chimenka Ezeribe, who spoke on “Digitisation and Taxation: Lessons for Chartered Accountants,” encouraged practitioners to embrace emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence.

“There is no nation-building without building the digital economy, and the top-ranked countries today are those that are most digitally advanced,” he said.

In his presentation, Shedrach Saddih discussed strategies for protecting sovereign taxing rights and addressing revenue leakages, while Chris Imafidon, who joined virtually, urged accountants to leverage digital skills to expand opportunities beyond Nigeria.

Also speaking, Kennedy Iwundu addressed the role of chartered accountants in strategic tax planning and risk management, with a focus on recent tax reforms.

The event was declared open by Nasiru Mohammed, who represented the 61st ICAN President, Haruna Yahaya. He described the theme as timely and commended the organisers for the initiative.

In her remarks, the pioneer chairman of the ICAN Kubwa District, Ijeoma Ugwunebo, expressed appreciation for the support received, noting that the district has made steady progress since its establishment.

As part of the week-long activities, the district also organised a secondary school debate under its “Catch Them Young” initiative aimed at promoting interest in the accounting profession among students.

Ugwunebo said the programme provides an opportunity to educate young people about career pathways in accountancy and encourage early interest in the profession.

Three schools—Government Secondary School Byzhin, Anglican Comprehensive High School, Kubwa, and Rex Charistus College, Kubwa—participated in the debate on the topic “2025 Tax Reform Will Benefit Nigeria’s Economy.”

At the end of the contest, Rex Charistus College emerged winner with 63 points, followed by Government Secondary School Byzhin with 59 points, while Anglican Comprehensive High School came third with 53 points.

The event also featured a road walk by members of the district across Kubwa to raise awareness about the accounting profession and the activities of the newly established district.