Tinubu Blames Colonial Tax Laws for Poverty

President Bola Tinubu has declared that colonial-era tax laws dragged Nigerians into poverty through years of fragmentation, overlapping rules, and structural weaknesses that stifled growth.

The President made the remark on Tuesday while commissioning the 16-storey headquarters of the Nigeria Revenue Service in Abuja. NaijaChoice News reports that he described the old system as a major barrier to national prosperity and pledged that the new reforms will deliver a fairer, more efficient framework.

Tinubu spoke at the high-profile event attended by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas, several governors, ministers, lawmakers and private sector captains. The occasion also marked the full rollout of the tax changes that took effect in January 2026 after the four major reform bills signed into law in June 2025.

In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu said the old laws created a system that rewarded inefficiency instead of enterprise. “On my inauguration day, I made a solemn pledge that we will move Nigerians from the dimness of uncertainty into the clear light of renewed hope,” he told the gathering.

He reaffirmed that the reforms are not mere words but a covenant to fix long-standing fiscal problems. The new system, now housed in the modern Abuja complex, aims to simplify taxation, remove distortions and protect vulnerable citizens while broadening the revenue base.

Tinubu commended NRS Executive Chairman Dr Zacch Adedeji for completing the building in just 30 months. The facility will accommodate about 3,000 staff and features a data processing centre, clinic, auditorium, training rooms, gym and library.

The President also praised Minister of State for Finance Taiwo Oyedele for steering the modernisation drive. He stressed that no nation can build sustainable prosperity on a weak revenue foundation, adding that early signs of the reforms include stronger fiscal stability, improved foreign reserves and rising investor confidence.

Senate President Akpabio urged Nigerians to remain patient, noting that the economic measures are already producing results, especially in stabilising fuel supply. Speaker Abbas echoed the view, pointing out that the previous tax regime suffered from overlapping mandates that wasted resources and reduced efficiency.

Dr Adedeji described the reforms as one of the most far-reaching in Nigeria’s fiscal history. He said over 60 scattered tax laws have been streamlined into a single, transparent framework that will improve public finance management and revenue collection.

The new headquarters was built by the China Civil Engineering and Construction Company. Its Managing Director, Guan Shuai, used the occasion to commend Tinubu’s leadership and the boldness of the ongoing economic overhaul.

The commissioning comes as the administration pushes its Renewed Hope Agenda to rebuild trust in government institutions and create an investment-friendly climate for ordinary Nigerians and businesses alike.