Nigeria's Tax Reform Eases Burden on Low-Income Earners

The Joint Revenue Board (JRB) of Nigeria announced that the country's tax reform has successfully reduced the burden on low-income earners and eliminated multiple nuisance taxes. Olusegun Adesokan, the Executive Secretary of the JRB, made this statement during the 160th meeting of the board held in Kaduna State, themed “One Year of Reform: Assessing Progress and Addressing Challenges.” Adesokan emphasized that the reform has provided relief for low-income earners and micro-scale businesses, countering concerns about increased tax burdens.

He noted that 18 state Houses of Assembly have adopted the model harmonized taxes and levies law, which has streamlined over 50 tax collection items to nine sub-heads and abolished cash collection and roadblocks for revenue collection. Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, opened the meeting, urging the JRB to identify challenges in revenue collection and improve efficiency.

He praised the tax reform for enhancing revenue generation, with national tax revenue reportedly rising to N21.6 trillion.