Oyedele Faces Threats for Fixing Nigeria’s Broken Tax System

The Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, Taiwo Oyedele, has disclosed that he has received threats to his life as a result of his involvement in Nigeria’s far-reaching tax reform agenda.

Oyedele made the revelation in Abuja while speaking at a governance colloquium held to celebrate the 50th birthday of the Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination, Hajiya Hadiza Bala-Usman.

Addressing participants at the event, Oyedele said driving reforms that challenge long-standing interests requires uncommon bravery, especially within a system that has historically resisted structural change.

He noted that fiscal reforms, particularly in taxation, are among the most difficult to implement, stressing that his efforts to overhaul what he described as a dysfunctional system have attracted personal threats.

Oyedele identified key hurdles to reform implementation, including widespread distrust in government, a weak culture of tax compliance, and limited public understanding of how taxes translate into public services.

According to him, Nigeria’s tax-to-GDP ratio remains significantly lower than that of comparable economies, making comprehensive reform unavoidable if the country is to achieve sustainable development.

He called on Nigerians who believe in the reforms to be more vocal, warning that opposition narratives gain ground when supporters remain silent.

Emphasising the issue of trust, Oyedele explained that many citizens have misinterpreted the reforms as the introduction of new taxes, when in reality the process involves reducing, streamlining and harmonising existing levies.

He added that pushing through the reforms comes with serious political, economic and reputational risks, but insisted that such risks are necessary to achieve meaningful progress.

Despite facing online attacks and personal intimidation, Oyedele defended the reform strategy, describing past tax policies as temporary measures that failed to address underlying structural problems.

He likened the current approach to a major corrective procedure, acknowledging that it may be uncomfortable but insisting it is the only viable path to long-term fiscal health.

Expressing confidence in the country’s trajectory, Oyedele described the present reform drive as unprecedented and urged Nigerians to remain patient and committed to the process.

The Federal Government began enforcing the new tax framework on January 1, 2026, following the enactment of four key legislations: the Nigeria Tax Act 2025, the Nigeria Tax Administration Act 2025, the Nigeria Revenue Service Establishment Act 2025, and the Joint Revenue Board Establishment Act 2025.