The Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, Taiwo Oyedele, has opened up about the personal toll of overhauling Nigeria’s fiscal landscape, revealing that he has received threats to his life for his efforts to “fix a broken system.”
Speaking on Tuesday at a governance colloquium in Abuja held to celebrate the 50th birthday of Hajiya Hadiza Bala-Usman, the Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination, Oyedele emphasized that dismantling entrenched interests is a perilous but necessary task.
Oyedele told the audience that implementing reforms in a system historically resistant to change requires more than just technical expertise; it requires “exceptional courage.”
“Reforms are hard, and tax reforms are even harder. You need courage. I receive threats simply for trying to fix a broken system,” he disclosed.
He noted that the path forward is fraught with multiple layers of danger, stating, “You need the courage to push through. You need the courage to take risks, because it’s very risky.” These risks, he explained, are not just physical but also political, economic, and reputational.
A major hurdle for the committee has been a deep-seated mistrust of the government and a widespread misunderstanding of the new laws. Oyedele clarified that the reform is not a grab for more money from the average citizen, but rather a simplification of a chaotic system.
“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 lamented that while opponents are vocal, supporters often remain in the background. He urged those who believe in the changes to speak up, warning that silence allows misinformation to take root.
The Federal Government officially began enforcing the new tax regime on January 1, 2026, underpinned by four landmark pieces of legislation:
– The Nigeria Tax Act 2025
– The Nigeria Tax Administration Act 2025
– The Nigeria Revenue Service Establishment Act 2025
– The Joint Revenue Board Establishment Act 2025
Comparing the current momentum to previous half-hearted attempts at reform, Oyedele used a medical analogy to describe the necessity of the current hardship.
“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 asserted.
Despite the online abuse and personal intimidation, the Chairman remains optimistic, describing the current drive for fiscal stability as “unprecedented” in Nigeria’s history.
