The Labour Party’s former presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has charged President Bola Tinubu to ensure the empowerment of small and medium-scale enterprises to expand the tax base.
Mr Obi’s admonition to Mr Tinubu followed the commencement of Nigeria’s new tax regime on 1 January.
In a post on X on Friday, the former Anambra State governor, who recently defected to the African Democratic Congress, noted that his travels around the world and meetings with leaders who have transformed their nations have taught him that lasting economic and social progress begins with national consensus.
“Transformative leaders—those who successfully unite their people around a shared vision—share a defining quality: honesty,” Mr Obi wrote.
He added, “Government must be transparent and truthful because citizens deserve nothing less from those who lead them. True leaders do not exploit their people to enrich themselves and a few cronies; they build trust, unity, and shared purpose – the foundation of sustainable progress.”
He argued that Nigeria’s current approach to taxation must be measured based on honesty, adding that if taxation is to function as a genuine social contract, it must be rooted in sincerity, fairness, and concern for the welfare of the people.
Mr Obi further urged that every tax policy should be clearly explained, including its impact on incomes and its expected contribution to national development.
He also affirmed that Nigeria must rethink taxation if it is serious about economic growth, national unity, and shared prosperity.
The purpose of sound fiscal policy is not merely to raise revenue; it is to make the people wealthier so that the nation itself becomes stronger. Yet today, Nigerians are asked to pay taxes without clarity, explanation, or visible benefit.
“The solution begins with empowering small and medium-sized enterprises in every community. When small businesses thrive, jobs are created, incomes rise, and the tax base expands naturally. You cannot tax your way out of poverty – you must produce your way out of it,” Mr Obi said, while noting that allegations of forging the tax law are alarming.
“For the first time in Nigeria’s history, a tax law has reportedly been forged. The National Assembly itself has admitted that the version gazetted is not what was passed into law. Yet citizens are being asked to pay higher taxes under this manipulated framework—without transparency, without explanation, and without corresponding benefits,” he said.
He further argued that there is no virtue in celebrating increased government revenue while the people grow poorer.
“Taxing poverty does not create wealth; it deepens hardship. Any tax system that makes citizens poorer violates the fundamental principles of good governance and sound fiscal policy,” the former governor said.
“Nigeria needs a fair, lawful, and people-centred tax system—one that supports production, rewards enterprise, protects the vulnerable, and restores trust between government and citizens. Only then can taxation become a true tool for unity, growth, and shared prosperity.”
