Growing tensions surrounding Nigeria’s newly implemented tax reforms came to the fore yesterday as Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, Mr. Taiwo Oyedele, disclosed that he had received threats to his life over the reform process. The revelation highlighted the personal and institutional risks associated with deep structural changes in the country’s fiscal framework.
Oyedele spoke in Abuja at a governance colloquium organised to mark the 50th birthday of the Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination and Head of the Central Delivery Coordination Unit (CDCU), Hajiya Hadiza Bala Usman. The event brought together senior government officials, policy experts and stakeholders to reflect on governance, reforms and public service.
According to Oyedele, tax reforms remain among the most difficult policy interventions because they directly affect entrenched interests. He said the challenge was further complicated by low public trust in government, a weak tax-paying culture and limited visibility of how public revenues are exchanged for services.
“Reforms are hard, and tax reforms are even harder. You need courage. I receive threats simply for trying to fix a broken system,” Oyedele said. He added that Nigeria’s tax revenue remained abysmally low when compared with peer countries, making far-reaching reforms unavoidable. He urged Nigerians who understood and supported the reforms to speak out, warning that silence often allowed misinformation and negative narratives to dominate public discourse.
The federal government commenced the implementation of the new tax regime on January 1, 2026, with the simultaneous activation of four major statutes: 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.
Also speaking at the colloquium, Vice President Kashim Shettima charged Nigerian public servants to embrace selflessness, discipline and excellence as the foundation for building enduring legacies in governance. He stressed that true public service required sacrifice, consistency and strong character, rather than the pursuit of applause or public spectacle.
According to Shettima, the most enduring legacies in public service are built through resilience, quiet dedication and unwavering commitment to excellence. “If we are to raise more generations of Nigerians ready to lead with purpose, to deliver with excellence and to serve with courage, we must remember this truth: intention without the willingness to pay the price of service remains wishful thinking,” he said.
Eulogising the celebrant, Shettima described Bala Usman as a symbol of possibility, not only for young women from northern Nigeria but for the nation at large. He said her influence in public service was earned through deliberate choices, institutional strengthening and disciplined discharge of responsibility.
“There is no doubt that Hadiza’s place in our public service history is secure. It was not built on spectacle, nor did it rely on applause. What she has become is the product of decisions taken quietly, responsibilities carried fully, and institutions strengthened with care,” the vice president stated.
Shettima further noted that Bala Usman’s rise in public service was neither accidental nor incidental, but sustained by courage and fidelity to the demanding work of nation-building. He said her journey offered proof to young women, particularly from parts of the country where ambition often faces cultural barriers, that excellence and leadership were achievable.
“What has not been noted enough is that she emerged from a part of the country where many young women still search for proof that ambition such as hers is allowed. Her journey required courage, and that is why she has become that proof,” he said, adding a prayer that her example would continue to inspire Nigerians who believed that service, when done well, could ennoble a nation.
In his remarks, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, also paid glowing tribute to Bala Usman, describing her 50th birthday as a milestone celebrating a life of purpose, sacrifice and commitment to good governance. He said her career reflected dedication, discipline, courage and patriotic zeal.
Akume noted that her leadership at the CDCU had strengthened governance delivery, improved inter-ministerial coordination and reinforced a culture of accountability and results in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. “As Special Adviser to the President on Policy Coordination and Head of the Central Results Delivery Coordination Unit, you have distinguished yourself through intellectual rigour, strategic foresight, and uncommon passion for translating policy intent into measurable outcomes,” he said.
Responding emotionally, Bala Usman expressed gratitude to the vice president, senior government officials, family, friends and colleagues, saying she was deeply humbled by the honour. She disclosed that she never sought public attention and was initially reluctant about the colloquium but was moved by the overwhelming show of support across generations and sectors.
“I am truly humbled today. I don’t like celebrating myself, but listening to all that has been said has touched me deeply. I am grateful to my family, friends, colleagues and the many young people who look up to me,” she said. She also recalled the influence of her late father and the support she received throughout her career.
The colloquium featured a panel discussion on governance, reforms and service delivery. During the session, the Deputy Governor, Economic Policy Directorate of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Dr. Muhammad Sani Abdullahi (Dattijo), said the reforms implemented over the last two years were the deepest and most far-reaching in decades. He noted that they addressed long-standing structural constraints to Nigeria’s growth.
According to Abdullahi, the removal of foreign exchange and fuel subsidies, though painful in the short term, had begun to yield macroeconomic gains, including balance of payments and current account surpluses, as well as growing external reserves. He said reforms often failed not because of weak intentions, but due to poor coordination and the inability to translate vision into durable institutions capable of withstanding political cycles and public anxiety.
The keynote address was delivered by a former Director-General of the Bureau of Public Service Reforms, Dr. Joe Abah, who emphasised institutional integrity, transparency and process reforms as critical pillars of sustainable governance. Speakers at the event echoed the central message that enduring legacies in public service are built through courage, selflessness and the painstaking work of strengthening institutions for long-term national benefit.
Meanwhile, in Kaduna, Governor Uba Sani called on Nigerians to support the tax reform laws introduced by President Tinubu, describing them as critical to sustainable national development. The governor made the call at a sensitisation summit organised by the Arewa Think Tank (ATT), where he was represented by the Executive Chairman of the Kaduna State Internal Revenue Service (KADIRS), Jerry Adams.
Speaking at the summit themed “The Benefits of the Renewed Hope Tax Reform Laws,” Sani said the reforms were designed to streamline Nigeria’s numerous revenue sources into nine clearly defined and harmonised revenue lines. According to him, this would simplify tax compliance, reduce confusion and significantly improve the ease of doing business, particularly for youth-led enterprises and small businesses.
Addressing youths drawn from across northern states, the governor stressed their critical role in the success of the reforms, describing them as entrepreneurs, innovators, professionals and community leaders whose understanding, compliance and demand for accountability would determine the long-term impact of the tax policy.
“The summit is not merely about sensitisation; it is about empowerment and partnership. Tax reform must translate into tangible outcomes such as better roads, quality education, accessible healthcare, improved security, and expanded economic opportunities,” Sani said.
He added that when citizens clearly saw the link between taxes paid and development outcomes, public trust would grow and voluntary compliance would increase. He urged participants to engage constructively, exchange ideas across states and serve as ambassadors of responsible tax citizenship across the northern region.
The governor reaffirmed Kaduna State’s commitment to progressive tax reforms, youth inclusion and interstate collaboration aimed at strengthening governance and economic resilience in the North, while commending the ATT and its partners for organising the sensitisation summit.
Earlier, the Convener of ATT, Muhammad Alhaji Yakubu, said the tax reforms presented a unique opportunity for northern states to become more innovative, economically self-reliant and competitive, particularly through the responsible exploitation of solid minerals and other natural resources. He said the reforms would encourage creativity and constructive engagement with the federal government and the National Assembly on constitutional amendments supporting resource-based development.
Yakubu described the reforms as holding “huge prospects and fortunes that will benefit future generations if embraced today,” and called on northern political, traditional and opinion leaders to support them. He also urged state governments to diversify their economies, strengthen internally generated revenue and invest in education, healthcare, agriculture, solid minerals and infrastructure.
The Arewa Think Tank reaffirmed its commitment to supporting President Tinubu in the implementation of the Tax Reform Laws and pledged to intensify public sensitisation on the importance of taxation to national development.