NewStats: 3,263,882 , 8,181,745 topics. Date: Sunday, 08 June 2025 at 02:53 PM 3r3k6m

Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has stated that less than 30% of Nigerians pay taxes to the Federal Government.

Despite this, he said, citizens expect the government to deliver top-tier infrastructure, education, security, and other essential services.

Akpabio made this known on Monday while declaring open a public hearing on tax reform bills sent to the National Assembly on October 3, 2024, by President Bola Tinubu.

He emphasised the necessity of tax reforms, noting that the country cannot continue to repeat past practices without meaningful change.

According to him, once the bills are ed, the National Assembly will strengthen its oversight to ensure resources are used judiciously.

He urged Nigerians to engage with the legislative process instead of relying on social media narratives.

“The public hearing should be used to think of a better Nigeria.

“I will stay for two days and participate in the process because I am tired of social media. Most leaders in this country never saw the content of the bills before attacking the process,” Akpabio said

He encouraged participants to obtain copies of the tax reform bills and scrutinise them thoroughly rather than depending on misinformation.

Among those present at the hearing were the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun; Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN); Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, Zacch Adedeji; and the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service.

Earlier, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, Senator Sani Musa (APC, Niger East), highlighted the significance of the tax reform bills. He noted that the committee had invited 71 stakeholder groups to contribute to the discussions.

“Both the Senate and the House of Representatives have done the second reading on the reform bills and are ready for the public hearing.

“The bills have been read by all of the committee with a better understanding of what they are aimed at, particularly in the areas of tax istration, collection, and operations in Nigeria,” Musa said.

He further explained that the bills were designed to enhance government revenue and ensure economic sustainability.

“The main purpose of the reform bills is to see how the government will generate more revenue so that we’ll be able to put our country on the pedestal of advanced economies where infrastructure, education, agriculture, and other key sectors will be adequately taken care of,” he added.

The tax reform bills under consideration include the Nigeria Tax Bill (NTB) 2024, the Nigeria Tax istration Bill (NTAB) 2024, the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill (NRSEB) 2024, and the t Revenue Board (Establishment) Bill (JRBEB) 2024. These bills ed a second reading in the Senate on November 28, 2024, and were forwarded to the Committee on Finance for further legislative scrutiny.

https://punchng.com/only-30-of-nigerians-pay-tax-says-akpabio/

Can you Imagine What is Coming Out From
Most Useless Senseless Irresponsible Insensitive Indisciplined Unserious Nigeria Senate President Ever.

Is The Tax The Problem or Those Stealing and Misappropriating it?

That is 30% too many!

Dishonourable Akpabio is BITCHING about lack of funds to foster developments in education, infrastructure, security and other ESSENTIAL services MEANWHILE the combined National Assembly receive INSANE amount of money in annual allowances and NEW CARS.

The THIEVES in government are EAGER to the blame to people earning #70k as minimum wage while they RAID the National Coffers and LOOT borrowed funds and awarded grants.

You FAILED to show proof of TANGIBLE developments with the resources in your possession yet you're asking for MORE?!

FOOLS!

As a Nigerian, it is your PATRIOTIC OBLIGATION to NEVER pay tax!

DON'T sponsor the lavish lifestyles of looting LOUTS!

What is the Percentage of Nigerians that Benefits from the Tax?

Mumu Man

🥴

As usual, no statistics to back it up.

The calculation is very easy to understand. That tells you its only 30% of Nigerians are working and living fine 💯

Only 10% of Nigerians are eating the national cake

How many has any worthy form of connection to the govt or uses at least 3 govt amenities?

This man just disgracing calabar people.



Natasha please give this man B..J or 1 minite quickie

akpabio needed






paracetamol

Meanwhile, this rogue and others in the NASS and executive are the ones living off @ the instance of the taxpayers.

Abi no he this idiot that was sending millions "prayer email" to fellow senators while saying "Nigerians can be protesting of hungers and hardship but we will be eating here "

The 30 percent you agreed to have collected what have you achieved with it?

He no lie

Y'all wanna tax poverty?

Why would I pay tax?
When u all embezzle the money.

Everyone is his/her own government here

And those 70% that don’t pay are the ones who want Nigeria to sur the UK.

They cannot pay in Nigeria but will run to another country to go pay same taxes.

Nigeria ought to be a tax free nation to start with.



All the trillions being made from crude oil revenue, other mineral resources and VAT, what have the government used it for? No security of lives and property in Nigeria, no steady electricity, no good roads, no water supply, nothing is working. So Mr Akpabio tell us why Nigerians should pay tax in Nigeria; to fund the luxury life of criminals in power?

Antoeni:


https://punchng.com/only-30-of-nigerians-pay-tax-says-akpabio/

What percentage of employable citizens are working...yeye man

How much do you embezzle, idiot . It's gettat arraherrrr

How many percent are gainfully employed?

What have u been able to achieve with it? Crook

This is a lie , there is no Nigerian that doesnt pay one form of tax or the the other

So want more people to pay tax so that you and ur irks will steal more

Antoeni:


https://punchng.com/only-30-of-nigerians-pay-tax-says-akpabio/

This man.... He will just be ditching out unverified statistics. He should know he is the no 3 citizen and not a beer parlour analyst.


"According to him, once the bills are ed, the National Assembly will strengthen its oversight to ensure resources are used judiciously."


What can't it be strengthen right now so that the one collected can be used judiciously? If you can not be trusted with little..no miracle will occur when much is at stake.

Unfortunately, he is right.

This is from the BBC, an organisation that blasts tinubu's goivernment regularly.

Source

Getting more people to pay tax
In 2018, 19 million Nigerians paid into federal or state coffers, according to government data.

A World Bank report in that year put the country's economically active population at 65 million - so even with rising numbers of taxpayers in recent years, that is still less than 30% paying tax.

The government has been going after individuals that it believes are liable for tax and have not been paying.

Two years ago, the country offered a 12-month amnesty for Nigerians to declare and pay taxes on all previously undeclared income and assets to avoid penalty payments and possible prosecution.

A World Bank report last year said this was only partly successful with just 8% of the target achieved by the end of the amnesty period.

However, many Nigerians will be reluctant to pay taxes because of concerns the money raised may be siphoned off instead of being spent on health, education and other public services

.

That was from 2019. And up till now the situation has not changed

Shows thatr

1. APC has failed to raise money from taxes

2. Also shows why our economy, in a way, is always cash strapped

I did not say there is no corruptuion and stealing o.

All abuse will now be reported to the mods.

franchasng:
Nigeria ought to be a tax free nation to start with

Exactly, A nation with over 200 million people should be tax free.

Lol at d comments up there. Make una allow this man do his job. D man sef surprise say him wey suppose d jail; him wey de complain of pneumonia say e no fit go court come miraculously become senate presidio. E don well now sote na so so rubbish d comot for im mouth. Ah Naija!

Na statistics we go chop?

CoronaVirusPro:
And those 70% that don’t pay are the ones who want Nigeria to sur the UK.

They cannot pay in Nigeria but will run to another country to go pay same taxes.

And how well have they managed the 30% he who is faithful in little will be faithful in many