Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, Mr. Taiwo Oyedele, has revealed that he faces life-threatening threats over his role in driving Nigeria’s ongoing tax reforms.
Oyedele made the disclosure on Tuesday in Abuja at a governance colloquium held to mark the 50th birthday of Hajiya Hadiza Bala Usman, Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination.
Speaking at the event, Oyedele said pushing reforms that disrupt entrenched interests is often dangerous, noting that tax reforms, in particular, demand uncommon courage.
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“Reforms are hard, and tax reforms are even harder. You need courage. I receive threats simply for trying to fix a broken system,” he said.
He identified deep-seated mistrust of government, weak tax compliance culture and poor understanding of fiscal responsibility as major hurdles confronting the reform process.
According to him, Nigeria’s tax revenue remains far below that of comparable economies, making comprehensive reform unavoidable.
Oyedele urged Nigerians who support the reforms to speak out, warning that silence allows opponents to dominate public discourse.
The Federal Government began enforcing new tax laws on January 1, 2026, with the introduction of four key 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.
He described trust as a central challenge, stressing that confidence in and within government is low, while many citizens lack basic awareness of their tax obligations.
Oyedele said a communication gap has fuelled the misconception that government is imposing fresh taxes, when the reforms are aimed at reducing, consolidating and harmonising existing levies.
“People suddenly think government has come with taxes everywhere, whereas what we are doing is to reduce the taxes they already pay and harmonise them,” he explained.
The reform chief said successful implementation requires political will and the courage to absorb political, economic and reputational risks.
“You need the courage to push through and take risks. It is very risky,” he said.
Despite facing online abuse and threats, Oyedele defended the reform strategy, describing past approaches as ineffective stopgaps.
“All my adult life, what we did with the tax system was apply pain relievers. It did not take us far. Now we are doing the surgery. It will come with pain, but it is the right thing to do,” he said.
He expressed optimism about Nigeria’s direction, describing the current phase as unprecedented in his lifetime and urging sustained commitment to deliver lasting results.
