Based on the results of much internal research, Zacch Adedeji, the Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), revealed that just 19% of Nigerians now pay taxes. The FIRS completely backed the publication of a new children’s book called “Taxation: Essential Knowledge for Nigerian Children,” which included this disclosure.
The FIRS Executive Chairman stressed the value of teaching kids about taxes from a young age. He was represented at the event by his Special Adviser on Research and Statistics, Aisha Mahmoud.
Data indicates a high correlation between tax education and compliance, he explained to BrandSpur Nigeria news desk.
According to Adedeji: “When children understand the importance of taxes early in life, they grow into responsible adults who contribute to national development.
“Our studies show that only 19% of Nigerians currently pay taxes, and in some reports, the number could be as low as 10 to 15%,” he added.
Instilling tax awareness in children is much simpler than changing the tax-evasion practices of adults, he emphasised. This is why the FIRS actively promotes projects like the children’s tax education book, which was written by Aderonke Atoyebi and Ejura Haruna, he explained.
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Continuing, his comments coincide with the federal government’s increased efforts to raise tax income. In a recent speech commemorating his two years in office, President Bola Tinubu declared the establishment of a Tax Ombudsman, an impartial body dedicated to safeguarding taxpayers, especially small enterprises, and guaranteeing systemic responsibility.
However, as the foundation of a more sustainable financial future for Nigeria, the President also disclosed that a new national fiscal strategy is being designed to encourage equitable taxation, judicious expenditure, and responsible borrowing.
