Former presidential candidate Peter Obi has reacted to the implementation of the new tax laws by the federal government of Nigeria.
In an X post seen by Dockaysworld, the former governor criticized Nigeria’s current taxation approach, warning that prosperity cannot be achieved by placing heavier tax burdens on an already impoverished population.
Obi said his engagements with global leaders who transformed their countries show that lasting economic progress begins with honesty, transparency and national consensus.
He argued that governments must be truthful with citizens, noting that taxation can only function as a true social contract when policies are fair, clearly explained and tied to visible public benefits.
According to him, Nigerians are being asked to pay more taxes without adequate clarity on how such policies affect incomes or contribute to national development.
Obi said the goal of fiscal policy should not be revenue generation alone but the creation of wealth that strengthens both citizens and the state.
He stressed that empowering small and medium-sized enterprises is key to expanding the tax base, creating jobs and increasing incomes organically.
“You cannot tax your way out of poverty; you must produce your way out of it,” he said.
He also raised concerns over what he described as an unprecedented tax fraud saga.
Recall there had been some drama after a member of the House of Representatives blew the alarm that the passed law approved by the lawmakers was different from the final gazetted one which had altered key provisions.
The president had ordered that the law begin implementation on the planned January 1st date as planned despite the controversy. The national assembly is
Obi said it was troubling that citizens were being required to pay higher taxes under a disputed legal framework, without transparency or corresponding benefits.
Obi warned that celebrating increased government revenue while citizens become poorer contradicts the principles of good governance.
He called for a fair, lawful and people-centred tax system that supports production, rewards enterprise, protects the vulnerable and rebuilds trust between government and the people.
According to him, only such an approach can make taxation a tool for unity, growth and shared prosperity.