By Joy Onu
State Governors across Nigeria have been urged to place greater emphasis on taxation as a key tool for strengthening state finances. Dr. Enamudu F. Benjamin, Chairman of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria, FCT, made the call during a two-day capacity-building program and stakeholders dialogue on informal sector taxation, organized by the Tax Justice and Governance Platform (TJ & GP) in partnership with Social Development Integrated Center (Social Action). The initiative also aimed to validate research findings on informal sector taxation in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Highlighting the uneven commitment to taxation nationwide, Dr. Enamudu said, “Apart from Lagos, Rivers, and the Federal Capital Territory, many states have been lackadaisical on matters of taxation. States need to wake up to the opportunities inherent in taxation.”
He also addressed misconceptions about Nigerians’ willingness to pay taxes. “Value Added Tax (VAT) is a tax everyone pays. Additionally, if your taxable income is below ₦800,000, you are exempt from personal income tax—that is zero tax,” he clarified.
Dr. Enamudu urged citizens to obtain their tax clearance proactively rather than waiting for emergencies. He further suggested exploring policies that link voting rights to Tax Identification Numbers (TIN) to encourage wider tax registration.
The dialogue, part of the broader capacity building program, focused on budget analysis and tracking for tax justice, while providing stakeholders with the opportunity to contribute insights to the ongoing research on informal sector taxation in the FCT
