President Bola Tinubu has appealed to Nigerians to pay their taxes as this remain essential for financing infrastructure, healthcare, education and welfare programmes targeted at vulnerable citizens.
The President spoke on Friday, May 15, at the Africa CEO Forum in Kigali.
He said many citizens demand better roads, hospitals and social amenities but fail to pay their taxes.
“Nobody wants to pay taxes. Yet everyone expects development. You want good roads and well-equipped hospitals, but you don’t want to contribute through taxes. The question is: how do we fund development and secure the future of our children? A citizen who pays tax is a citizen. If you are not paying taxes and not exempted, then you are not fulfilling your obligation,” he said.
The president also defended the economic reforms introduced by his administration, including the removal of fuel subsidy and the unification of the foreign exchange market, describing them as difficult but necessary measures aimed at stabilising the economy.
According to him, Nigeria could no longer sustain subsidy payments and policies that encouraged corruption and smuggling.
“It was necessary to reset and reform the economy. We were spending future generations’ resources before they were born,” Tinubu said.
Reflecting on the state of the economy before the reforms, the president said several states struggled to pay salaries despite Nigeria’s oil wealth.
“You are producing oil, spending heavily on fuel subsidy, yet your refineries are not working. That trend was unsustainable,” he noted.
Tinubu acknowledged that the reforms initially triggered hardship and criticism but said early signs indicated that the policies were beginning to produce positive outcomes.
He stated that the naira had become more stable and predictable, making it easier for businesses and government institutions to plan effectively.
The president further explained that savings from the reforms had enabled the government to expand intervention programmes for students and vulnerable households through educational support and direct assistance initiatives.