As Nigeria’s government seeks to increase its tax revenues, a prominent political voice is arguing that the burden on citizens is unjust given the state’s pervasive corruption and lack of accountability.
Kingsley Moghalu, a former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, took to X on Sunday to criticize the country’s “self-entitled political elites.” While acknowledging that tax reforms are a step in the right direction, he insisted that no new tax demands should be made without first addressing how existing funds have been spent.
“The profligacy and corruption in what passes for governance in our country… makes it unfair to expect citizens to pay any additional taxes,” Moghalu wrote. He questioned the spending of “revenues from oil and the numerous loans we have borrowed,” arguing that accountability must be a core principle of governance.
Moghalu’s comments tap into a deep-seated frustration among Nigerians. The country’s tax-to-GDP ratio has historically been one of the lowest in the world, hovering around 6-7% until a recent recalculation put it at 10.86% in 2021. This figure still lags far behind the African average of 15.6%.
Despite a push for increased tax collection to fund public services and reduce a soaring national debt, critics like Moghalu point to the government’s high cost of governance and a history of waste. For many Nigerians, the call for more taxes feels like an attempt to make ordinary citizens pay for the financial mismanagement of their leaders.
For marketing and advertising, or publishing your promotional content, contact us at [email protected]
