While the commencement of the Senate’s public hearing on the tax reform bills is a crucial step in Nigeria’s move to amend its tax laws, a key concern is the level of awareness among Nigerians regarding this hearing.
Development Diaries reports that the Senate has commenced a two-day public hearing on the proposed tax reform bills, and critical players from the country’s financial and economic sectors are attending.
The attendees include the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Zacch Adedeji, Group CEO of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari, members of the Federal Executive Council, and Comptroller General of Nigeria Customs Service, Adewale Adeniyi, among others.
While key government officials and economic stakeholders are present, the extent to which the general public is informed and engaged remains unclear.
A study by the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) highlights that legislative committees should enhance civic education and public enlightenment to reduce citizens’ apathy and alienation.
The study recommends that Senate standing committees regularly conduct public hearings to enable citizens to contribute to significant national issues affecting them.
Additionally, a study by the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC) revealed that while the Nigerian legislative process includes provisions for public hearings, actual citizen participation remains low, suggesting it is due to a lack of awareness and engagement opportunities for the public.
Public hearings are meant to be inclusive, allowing citizens to voice their opinions on policies that will directly impact them. Yet, limited awareness and access to relevant information may hinder effective citizen participation.
For a tax reform process that affects millions of Nigerians, more must be done to ensure broader inclusion.
Many small business owners, low-income earners, and informal sector workers who will likely bear the brunt of these tax changes may not even be aware that such discussions are happening.
A public hearing held in Abuja, attended mainly by government officials and select stakeholders, does not automatically translate to inclusive policymaking.
The process should involve grassroots engagement, town halls, and the use of digital platforms to reach a wider audience.
Furthermore, beyond just inviting participation, how much effort is being made to improve public understanding of tax reforms? Many Nigerians are unfamiliar with tax policies and how they shape the economy, which limits their ability to contribute meaningfully to the conversation.
Government agencies like the National Orientation Agency (NOA) need to take proactive steps to simplify the complexities of tax reforms and explain them in ways that resonate with the everyday citizen.
Without such awareness, the discourse remains dominated by elites, leaving the majority of citizens uninformed and disengaged.
Development Diaries calls on the Senate to deploy greater efforts to expand awareness and access, ensuring that tax policies reflect the realities of all Nigerians, not just those who have the privilege of being in the room.
For tax reforms to be effective and widely accepted, they must be discussed in spaces where the people most affected by them can contribute meaningfully.
