According To Our Reporter, former labor leader and APC stalwart Senator Adams Oshiomhole has weighed in on Nigeria’s VAT increase debate, defending the government’s stance on progressive taxation that targets the wealthy rather than low-income earners. Watch full report
In a Channels TV interview on January 21, 2026, Oshiomhole addressed concerns about rising VAT rates, emphasizing transparency and honesty amid economic challenges.
He singled out opposition figures Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, noting, “Obi is a major entrepreneur. He’s a wealthy man, earning dividends from his bank and trading company.” He added that Atiku also built his wealth even as a civil servant.
Oshiomhole explained that while the business community generally opposes tax hikes, President Bola Tinubu’s government is committed to ensuring the rich pay their fair share.
Using everyday examples, he highlighted how consumption taxes like VAT impact spending habits differently across income levels, stressing, “If you don’t eat it, you don’t pay for it.”
His comments reaffirm the ruling party’s push for fiscal policies aimed at equity and economic sustainability.