Abuja: A tax expert, Uzoma Kelechi, says the recently enacted Tax Reform Act will enhance investment and promote fairness in Nigeria’s tax system. Kelechi said this during a capacity-building workshop organised by the Tax Justice and Governance Platform, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), in collaboration with the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC). The event, which was held virtually with the theme ‘New Tax Laws and Informal Sector Taxation’, highlighted the transformative potential of the reforms.

According to News Agency of Nigeria, Kelechi explained that the previous tax system was complex, burdening ordinary citizens while allowing significant segments of the informal and corporate sectors to remain untaxed. She stressed that the new tax laws introduced through recent Finance Acts and the 2025 Tax Reform Bills aim to shift towards a progressive, pro-poor framework. The legislation intends to expand the tax net by ensuring wealthier individuals, large corporations, and luxury consumption contribute a fairer share.

Kelechi also highlighted that the reforms would lead to a simpler, fairer, and more inclusive system, which would still provide the necessary revenue to reduce reliance on oil while protecting the most vulnerable. She commended President Bola Tinubu for championing the tax reforms, noting that these changes would provide relief to low-income earners.

CISLAC’s Programme Gender Officer, Dolapo Asaolu, emphasized the workshop’s objective to build the capacity of civil society members, especially those from the FCT Chapter of the Tax Justice and Governance Platform. Asaolu pointed out a knowledge gap in the new tax laws, stressing the importance of civil society organisations’ understanding of these laws to advocate and educate the public effectively.

Mr. Botti Isaac, Social Action/Host of the FCT Tax Justice Platform, underscored the importance of linking the new tax laws to the informal sector. He stated that the objective is to understand the reforms’ impact on those operating in the informal economy and develop advocacy strategies to improve implementation.

The workshop concluded with a call for sustained education, transparency, and equitable enforcement of the tax laws to ensure Nigerians, particularly those in the informal sector, benefit from it.