The Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, Taiwo Oyedele, has revealed that he faces threats to his life over his role in implementing Nigeria’s sweeping tax reforms.
Oyedele made this known in Abuja during a governance colloquium organised to mark the 50th birthday of the Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination, Hajiya Hadiza Bala-Usman, on Tuesday.
Speaking at the event, Oyedele said pushing reforms that affect entrenched interests requires exceptional courage, particularly in a system long resistant to change, Vanguard reports.
“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 public understanding of fiscal exchange as major obstacles to reform implementation.
According to him, Nigeria’s tax revenue remains far below that of peer countries, making comprehensive reforms inevitable.
Oyedele urged Nigerians who support the reforms to speak up, warning that silence allows opponents to dominate public discourse.
Describing trust as the most critical challenge, Oyedele said many Nigerians misunderstand the reforms, believing new taxes are being imposed when existing levies are being reduced and harmonised.
“There is suddenly a national awareness, and people say the government has brought taxes all over the place, when in fact what we are doing is reducing the taxes they have been paying and harmonising them,” he explained.
He noted that implementing the reforms carries significant political, economic and reputational risks.
“You need the courage to push through. You need the courage to take risks, because it’s very risky,” he said.
Despite facing online abuse and personal threats, Oyedele defended the reform strategy, likening previous approaches to temporary fixes.
“What we have been doing all my adult life with the tax system was a pain reliever. It hasn’t taken us far. Now we’re doing the surgery. It will come with pain, but it is the only right thing to do,” he said.
He expressed optimism about the country’s direction, describing the current reform momentum as unprecedented and urging Nigerians to remain committed to achieving long-term fiscal stability.