A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Hon. Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, has called for increased and sustained public sensitisation on Nigeria’s new tax reform laws, warning that widespread misinformation and poor public understanding are fuelling misconceptions and suspicion about the policy.
Oyintiloye, a former lawmaker, made the call while speaking with journalists on Sunday in Osogbo, Osun State.
He said many Nigerians still lack adequate knowledge of the new tax laws and are therefore misrepresenting their provisions, a situation he said has created unnecessary anxiety across the country.
According to him, the absence of clear and consistent public engagement has allowed rumours and conflicting interpretations to thrive, leaving many Nigerians — including educated citizens — confused about how the law works, who it affects and when it will be implemented.
“The lack of proper understanding of the new tax law has led to misconceptions, misrepresentation and suspicion about the government’s intentions,” Oyintiloye said.
He also pointed to alleged discrepancies between the tax reform bill passed by the National Assembly and versions published in the official gazette, noting that the inconsistencies have further deepened public confusion.
Oyintiloye stressed that the government’s intentions, particularly as they relate to low-income earners, are positive, but said the prevailing misinformation is obscuring the real objectives and benefits of the reforms.
“Many Nigerians are still ignorant of the new tax law. Social media is filled with different explanations of the law, leading to widespread confusion among the people,” he said.
“The misinformation about the tax law is spreading faster than the true intentions of the law and its benefits. Up till this moment, many Nigerians, both literate and illiterate, do not actually know what to believe about the tax law.”
He attributed the situation to what he described as slow and inadequate sensitisation, as well as limited public engagement prior to the planned take-off of the law.
The APC chieftain urged government agencies responsible for public enlightenment to urgently step up efforts to educate citizens on the content and implications of the tax reforms.
“I want to implore the National Orientation Agency, the Federal Ministry of Information and other relevant agencies to intensify their public awareness campaigns on the tax reform law,” he said.
“This is necessary to help people understand the good intentions of the government, especially towards low earners, and to curb the spread of misinformation. Many people still do not know what the law entails or how it will apply to them.”
Oyintiloye also noted that several economic reforms introduced by President Bola Tinubu’s administration have begun to yield positive results, arguing that the benefits of such policies must be clearly communicated to the public.
He said proper packaging and dissemination of information by relevant government agencies would help Nigerians better appreciate the reforms and build public trust in government policies.
