Tax reforms must protect taxpayers, RMAFC says

The Chairman of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission, Dr Mohammed Shehu, has said ongoing tax and revenue reforms must protect taxpayers while ensuring equitable revenue allocation across all tiers of government.

Shehu stated this while receiving a delegation of the Joint Revenue Board led by its Executive Secretary, Mr Olusegun Adesokan, during a courtesy visit to the commission in Abuja.

His position was contained in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Head of Information and Public Relations Unit of the commission, Maryam Yusuf.

According to the statement, the RMAFC chairman reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to promoting transparency, fairness, accountability and stakeholder collaboration in Nigeria’s revenue administration system.

He said collaboration among institutions responsible for revenue generation and administration was critical to the success of ongoing reforms.

“The Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission remains committed to promoting transparency, fairness, and accountability in Nigeria’s revenue administration. As key stakeholders in the nation’s fiscal architecture, we must work together to ensure that ongoing revenue reforms protect the interests of taxpayers while guaranteeing equitable revenue allocation across all levels of government,” Shehu said.

The chairman noted that the commission would continue to support government initiatives to strengthen revenue generation while ensuring compliance with existing laws governing revenue allocation.

He added that policy harmonisation, stakeholder engagement and institutional collaboration were essential to achieving the objectives of the reforms.

Speaking on concerns surrounding aspects of the new tax regime, including tax refunds, revenue allocation, and electronic transfer taxation, Shehu said that continuous dialogue and technical engagement would be necessary to guarantee fairness, efficiency, and public confidence in the tax system.

“The Commission is committed to supporting measures that enhance compliance, improve transparency, and foster public confidence in the nation’s tax administration framework. With sustained cooperation among federal and subnational governments, revenue institutions, and proper implementation of the ongoing reforms, we expect to witness significant improvements in revenue collection and fiscal efficiency over the next five to six years,” he added.

Earlier, Adesokan said the visit aimed to strengthen collaboration between the Joint Revenue Board and the RMAFC towards the successful implementation of ongoing revenue reforms.

He said effective coordination among relevant institutions remained crucial to achieving the objectives of the new tax framework.

According to him, the reforms were designed to promote fairness, equity and transparency in tax administration while providing clearer revenue allocation mechanisms between the Federal Government and subnational governments.

Adesokan said the framework would create a system that benefits taxpayers, government institutions and the nation’s fiscal stability.

He also acknowledged concerns raised by stakeholders over electronic money transfer levies, stamp duties, revenue allocation, tax refunds and the treatment of advance tax payments.

The JRB executive secretary assured stakeholders that the board would continue consultations and technical engagements with relevant authorities to address the concerns.

He said the board remained committed to working closely with the RMAFC and other stakeholders to ensure revenues were properly attributed to the appropriate states and that taxpayers were treated fairly under the new tax framework.

Adesokan commended the commission’s commitment to stakeholder harmonisation and expressed confidence that sustained collaboration, information sharing and taxpayer education would improve revenue generation and compliance across the federation.

The meeting ended with both organisations reaffirming their commitment to deepening collaboration, promoting taxpayer protection, enhancing revenue administration and ensuring the successful implementation of reforms aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s fiscal framework and supporting national development.

Nigeria’s first Tax Ombud and Chief Executive of the Office of the Tax Ombud, Dr John Nwabueze, earlier urged Nigerians and businesses facing unfair tax assessments, multiple taxation and disputes with revenue agencies to seek redress through the newly established office.

Speaking at a breakfast meeting with finance correspondents and heads of newsrooms in Abuja, Nwabueze said the office was created to provide relief for taxpayers who had previously been left without an independent platform to challenge unfair treatment by tax and revenue authorities.