President Bola Tinubu has directed the speedy implementation of tax reforms across all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of the federal government.
The President gave the directive on Tuesday when he received a 30-day report on “quick wins” at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja.
Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Ajuri Ngelale, said that the report was presented to him by the Chairman of the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee, Mr Taiwo Oyedele.
Informing State House Correspondents shortly after the meeting, Ngelale said the President directed his Special Adviser on Policy Coordination, Hadiza Usman, to liaise with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the Chairman of the Tax Policy Review Committee to ensure that the recommendations of the committee are swiftly and immediately implemented across all MDAs of the federal government.
He said the goal is to “ensure that there is effective synergy and to ensure that every institution of the federal government is on the same page with respect to how tax policy will be implemented.”
Tinubu also directed that recommendations of the tax policy review committee be given high priority at the next sitting of the Federal Executive Council on Monday, October 30, 2023.
“We want to ensure that our citizens are receiving the best of public service provision. And that is only going to be possible when we have expanded the tax net to such an extent that we are collecting tax to GDP, reaching the 18 per cent threshold as directed and targeted by Mr. President, without any undue burden being placed on the most vulnerable segments of our population,” Ngelale added.
On July 7, 2023, President Tinubu established a Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, appointing Mr. Oyedele as its Chairman.
The committee comprises experts from both the private and public sectors. It has responsibility for the various aspects of tax law reform, fiscal policy design and coordination, harmonisation of taxes, and revenue administration.