Tax Compliance Key to Demanding Accountability, Says NOA

The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has emphasised that Nigerians must pay their taxes if they want to legitimately call for accountability from public officials, arguing that tax payment gives citizens both the legal and moral right to question how government funds are used.

At a civic engagement event in Abuja, a senior NOA official, Mrs Abiodun Olayeni‑Ali, said many Nigerians currently do not contribute to tax revenue, placing most of the burden on civil servants and a small segment of salaried workers. She also claimed that some employers manipulate payroll details to reduce the taxes deducted from workers.

The agency has launched a national awareness campaign on recent tax reforms to clear up confusion and misinformation about the policy, which has been widely discussed since its announcement. The campaign includes community meetings, radio discussions, and stakeholder consultations across Nigeria’s 774 local government areas.

Olayeni‑Ali acknowledged that trust in government remains low but stressed that funding public schools, hospitals, and other services depends partly on tax revenues. Meanwhile, business owners and informal sector workers raised concerns about the impact of the reforms on their already tight finances and questioned how compliance will work in practice.

Experts at the event explained that the new tax laws aim to ease the burden on low‑ and middle‑income earners while bringing higher‑income individuals and informal businesses into the tax net, including through a presumptive tax system for small operators.

They also highlighted broader reforms, such as simplification of multiple taxes into a development levy and the use of electronic invoicing to increase transparency.

Overall, NOA’s message was clear: paying taxes doesn’t just support public services — it strengthens citizens’ standing when demanding responsible governance.