Peter Obi, 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate and former governor of Anambra State, has called on the Federal Government to immediately halt the enforcement of Nigeria’s controversial new tax laws.
In a statement on Tuesday, January 13, Obi said it has become undeniable that the tax laws have been fundamentally altered. He referenced a report by KPMG, which identified 31 critical issues, including drafting errors, major policy contradictions, and administrative gaps.
Obi argued that these findings should compel the government to act swiftly. He expressed concern that such serious issues were only uncovered during private meetings between the National Revenue Service and KPMG.
“If experts need closed-door discussions to make sense of our tax laws, what hope does the average Nigerian have of understanding the obligations being imposed on them?” he asked.
The former governor stressed that taxation is not just a fiscal tool but also a social contract between the government and its citizens. He argued that a social contract cannot function if it is neither understood nor trusted.
Globally, Obi explained, effective tax policies are justified through visible benefits such as better healthcare, quality education, job creation, infrastructure development, and social safety nets. “In Nigeria, the focus appears to be on how much more the government can extract, rather than what it is prepared to give in return. A tax system without visible public benefits is not reform; it is extortion,” he said.
Obi highlighted that in many countries, tax reforms are preceded by months or even years of consultation with businesses, workers, and civil society. Citizens are informed not only about what they are required to pay, but also about the benefits they will receive.
In contrast, he lamented, no such consultations or public discussions took place in Nigeria. Citizens remain confused about both the new regulations and the benefits attached to them. According to Obi, the government rushed into tax collection without building consensus, enforcing the laws even as Nigerians face soaring food prices, high transport costs, declining purchasing power, and deepening poverty.
“Before addressing these challenges, we are being pushed into a sweeping new tax regime riddled with inconsistencies and flagged with 31 major concerns by a leading global accounting firm. This is not responsible governance,” he said.
Obi warned that without trust, taxation feels like punishment; without clarity, it breeds confusion; and without visible public value, it amounts to robbery.
He concluded by urging the government to prioritize listening, clear communication, and national consensus, saying that only through these steps can Nigeria achieve genuine reform, unity, growth, and shared prosperity.
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