Ben Ezechime, Enugu
Stakeholders in the manufacturing and financial sectors have called for increased public enlightenment on the new national tax law, urging that its implementation should be humane and considerate.
The call was made at a one-day conference on the New National Tax Law, recently held in Enugu.
The conference, hosted by Afri-Heritage in collaboration with the Enugu State Internal Revenue Service (ESIRS), was themed: “Stakeholders’ Sensitisation on the New Tax Law in Nigeria.”
Speaking at the event, Mrs Ifeoma Ezeasor, representing the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) for Anambra, Ebonyi and Enugu states, said awareness of the new law remained relatively low across the states.
Ezeasor noted that awareness efforts appeared more prominent in Enugu State, where the government and ESIRS have created platforms to enlighten residents on the new tax regime.
She added that further sensitisation had become necessary, as the law expands the tax net and requires all Nigerians engaged in business, regardless of size, to file tax returns.
Corroborating this view, a market leader and entrepreneur in Enugu, Chief Ignatius Udeh, said many traders were unaware of the requirement to file annual tax returns, whether or not they made profits.
Udeh emphasised that awareness of the law, which is designed to boost government revenue and improve infrastructure development, should be communicated in indigenous languages.
“We call on institutions and ESIRS to intensify efforts to bring this enlightenment to markets, market association meetings and traders’ gatherings, as we know that tax proceeds can significantly support social development,” he said.
A financial expert, Chief Chidi Ezema, also advocated a phased implementation of the new tax law, alongside broader public awareness.
Ezema, who is Managing Partner at Chukwudi Ezema & Co., Chartered Accountants and Tax Practitioners, stressed that implementation should be people-oriented and take into account prevailing socio-economic realities.
In his contribution, an international tax expert, Dr Mark Abani, said the new law makes provisions for low-income earners and those in the informal sector, particularly individuals with annual profits below N800,000.
Abani noted that the law enhances transparency by making it easier to track individuals’ earnings across multiple income streams.
He added that misinformation about the law often stems from resistance by some wealthy individuals who seek to evade appropriate taxation.
“The misinformation around the tax law is largely because some affluent individuals do not want to pay their fair share or be subjected to scrutiny of their earnings,” he said.
The Executive Chairman of ESIRS, Mr Emmanuel Nnamani, said the new tax law has enabled Enugu State to eliminate multiple taxation and harmonise tax payments through electronic systems for greater efficiency.
Nnamani added that the reforms have helped block revenue leakages and significantly increased the state’s internally generated revenue for public benefit.
Earlier, the Director of Afri-Heritage, Prof. Osita Ogbu, represented by Mr Chukwuma Okolo, said the conference brought together experts and key stakeholders to examine the implications of the new tax law.
He noted that Afri-Heritage, known for its empirical research in applied economics and politics, organised the forum to foster informed discussions and policy understanding.
