Experts in the economic field have called on members of the media and civil society organisations (CSOs) to monitor the implementation of the Nigeria Tax Act (NTA), 2025, which fully takes effect from January 2026.
They made the charge at a two-day training organised for some journalists and members of CSOs by Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS), a German foundation, in conjunction with Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the theme for the workshop was tagged; “The Nigeria Tax Act (NTA) 2025: An Early Review and Recommendations for the Media and Civil Society Organisations.”
Dr Christopher Kaka, the Executive Director of Trade Network Initiative, said as the fourth estate, the media should continue to act as watchdogs and champion accountability in the implementation of NTA.
Kaka urged the media practitioners to engage in independent research, analysis and monitor tax exemptions to see if they are beneficial to the public or only social interest.
He also tasked them to engage in investigative reporting with a view to expose tax evasion, fraud and corruption in the system.
Kaka equally urged the CSOs to engage with government and use the services of the courts to challenge anti-citizen’s actions and policies.
He advised the media and CSOs to initiate public debate and amplify citizen’s voices.
Simeon Olatunde, who is the Coordinator, Tax Justice & Governance Platform, addressed issues surrounding misinformation and half-truths circulating on social media about the evolving tax regime.
On his part, Prof. Adetunji Ogunyemi, in one of his presentations, took participants through the history of taxation in the country and examined the impacts of various tax reforms by past administrations.
Ogunyemi, a lawyer and professor of Economic History, Obafemi Awolowo University, stated that the current administration took the most revolutionary steps on tax reforms and modernisation since 1961.
He said this happened with its enactment of the four new tax laws – 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.
He observed that government’s bold tax reform initiatives have transformed the country’s tax regime.
Besides, he said its aggressive approach to the issue of taxation has significantly increased public revenue and the sharable pool in the Federation Account.
Ogunyemi enumerated the impacts of current tax reforms to include the creation of a single statute book for the country’s public revenue, provision of a uniform procedure for enforcement and compliance to tax laws, and the simplification of the tax systems on rate, charges, structures and liability.
He said the reforms has led to improvement on the jurisprudence of taxation by clarifying powers and functions of tax authorities, through the establishment of the Nigerian Revenue Service (NRS), formerly Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).
He said it has covered the field in all tax matters in the country, consisting of the jurisdictions of the federal, states and local government councils.
He added that the reforms have also brought about the standardisation of the processes for tax administration in the areas of assessment, collection, auditing and penalties.
Ogunyemi observed that the country’s tax spaces are large and significantly untapped.
He said that the problem remains in the fact that most of the tax jurisdictions lie with the sub-nationals, that have remain indolent owing to the prevailing culture of sharing and not growing revenue, which the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) has encouraged.
