Taiwo Oyedele faces threats amid tax reform rollout

The Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, Mr. Taiwo Oyedele, has revealed that he receives life-threatening messages because of his work implementing comprehensive tax reforms in Nigeria. Speaking at a governance event in Abuja on Tuesday, Oyedele emphasized the dangers involved in changing systems that affect powerful interests.

“Reforms are hard, and tax reforms are even harder. You need courage. I receive threats simply for trying to fix a broken system,” he stated during the colloquium organized to celebrate Hajiya Hadiza Bala Usman’s 50th birthday.

Oyedele explained that the reform process encounters numerous obstacles, including widespread distrust of government, poor tax compliance culture, and limited citizen understanding of fiscal policies. Nigeria’s tax revenue collection remains significantly lower than comparable nations, making reforms necessary.

The tax administrator urged Nigerians who support the changes to speak up, warning that silence allows critics to dominate public discussion.

The federal government began enforcing new tax legislation on January 1, 2026, introducing 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.

Oyedele identified trust as a fundamental barrier to reform efforts. “The trust in government and within government is very low,” he noted, adding that weak tax culture means many Nigerians remain unaware of their obligations.

He highlighted a communication gap where citizens believe new taxes are being imposed when the government is actually reducing and consolidating existing levies. “Suddenly, there is a national awareness, and they just say, the people have come with taxes all over the place when actually, what the government is doing is to reduce those taxes they have been paying, and harmonize them,” he explained.

The reform chairman stressed that successful implementation requires both courage and political determination. “You need that courage to push through, you need the courage to take risks, because it’s very risky,” he said, citing political, economic, and reputational risks.

Despite facing online abuse and threats, Oyedele defended the reform strategy. “What we have been doing all along, all my adult life with the tax system, was pain reliever. It hasn’t taken us far. It can’t take us far. Now we’re doing the surgery. It’s going to come with some pain, but that’s the only right thing to do.”