Tinubu Urges Nigerians to Pay Taxes for Development

During the Africa CEO Forum in Kigali, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu addressed the necessity of tax compliance for national development. He stated that while citizens desire better roads, healthcare, and social amenities, they must contribute through taxes to fund these developments.

Tinubu acknowledged the challenges of economic reforms, including the removal of fuel subsidies and the unification of the foreign exchange market, which he described as difficult but necessary to stabilize the economy. He pointed out that Nigeria can no longer sustain subsidy payments, which have encouraged corruption and smuggling.

Tinubu also noted that several states struggle to pay salaries despite Nigeria's oil wealth, as the country spends heavily on fuel subsidies while refineries remain non-functional. He expressed confidence that the reforms would yield positive outcomes, allowing the government to expand intervention programs for vulnerable households and students, despite ongoing economic challenges.