By Dr. Tofunmi Ogunronbi (DTO)
On a humid Monday morning in Abuja, Musa adjusted his seat in a crowded bus, scrolling through his phone as traffic crawled. A voice note was making the rounds on WhatsApp- angry, dramatic, and urgent.
“This government wants to tax us to death,” the voice declared.
Musa shook his head in frustration. Like many Nigerians, he earns just enough to survive. Yet, there he was, furious at a tax reform that, in truth, barely touches him.
This is the irony of Nigeria’s current tax debate.
Across markets, offices, campuses, and social media spaces, Nigerians are protesting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s tax reforms. Many believe the policy is designed to squeeze the poor while protecting the rich. But a closer look at the figures tells a very different story, one that few have taken time to read.
Under the reformed Personal Income Tax (PIT) structure, low-income earners pay little or nothing at all. Middle-income earners receive relief compared to the old system. The biggest difference appears at the top, where high-income earners now contribute significantly more.
Yet, the loudest opposition is coming from ordinary Nigerians, those the reform was designed to protect.
For decades, Nigeria operated a broken tax culture. Many wealthy individuals under-declared income or avoided taxes entirely. Meanwhile, government revenue remained weak, and public services suffered.
The result? Bad roads. Underfunded schools. Fragile healthcare. Endless borrowing.
Still, Nigerians asked a familiar question: Why is this country not developing?
What we rarely asked was: Who is paying for development?
President Tinubu’s tax reform attempts to answer that question honestly. The new system shifts Nigeria closer to a global standard, those who earn more should contribute more, while those at the bottom should be protected.
One major change is taxation from source, especially in formal employment. This reduces evasion and ensures fairness. No more selective compliance. No more loopholes enjoyed by a privileged few.
It is not a popular decision. But then again, fairness rarely is.
Deep down, many Nigerians are not afraid of tax. They are afraid of betrayal.
They ask: Will this money be stolen again? Will politicians live large while citizens suffer? Will anything really change?
These are legitimate fears, born from years of broken promises. But rejecting reform because of past failures only keeps the system broken.
The correct response is not rejection, it is demand for accountability.
Part of the confusion stems from poor explanation. Government policies are announced in technical language, while those closest to power often fail to communicate clearly with the people.
Into that silence, misinformation rushes in.
Half-truths spread faster than facts.
Fear travels faster than data.
As the ancient saying goes, my people perish for lack of knowledge.
If this reform fails, it will not be the wealthy who suffer most. They will find new loopholes, new shelters, new strategies.
It will be Musa in the bus. The trader in the market. The teacher in the classroom. The nurse in the clinic.
Because without sustainable revenue, there can be no sustainable development.
We can continue with a system where the poor pay emotionally, physically, and economically, while the rich escape responsibility.
Or we can build a system where contribution is fair, enforcement is firm, and citizens demand value for every naira collected.
President Tinubu’s tax reform may not be perfect. But it is not the enemy many think it is.
Fighting this reform without understanding it is like rejecting medicine because you dislike the packaging.
Nigeria does not need blind support. Nigeria needs informed citizenship.
If the rich pay more so the poor can breathe easier, that is not oppression, it is justice. If taxes are collected transparently and used responsibly, that is not hardship it is nation-building.
The real battle should not be against reform. It should be against misinformation, waste, and lack of accountability.
The real danger is misinformation. The real enemy is ignorance. And the real tragedy would be rejecting a policy meant to protect the very people fighting against it.
In the end, information is power.
And in Nigeria today, the absence of it is costing us dearly.
