Former Anambra State governor Peter Obi has warned that Nigeria risks deepening hardship and weakening national cohesion by pursuing a tax regime that places heavier burdens on an already impoverished population.
In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), Obi said genuine prosperity cannot be achieved through policies that make citizens poorer, stressing that economic growth must be anchored on trust, honesty and productivity.
Drawing from his engagements with global leaders, Obi argued that countries that achieved lasting transformation did so by building national consensus around truth and transparent leadership.
“As I travel the world and meet leaders who have transformed their nations, one lesson is clear: lasting economic and social progress begins with national consensus. Transformative leaders share a defining quality — honesty,” he said.
He maintained that taxation should function as a true social contract, rooted in fairness, transparency and concern for citizens’ welfare, adding that every tax policy must be clearly explained, including its impact on incomes and how revenues will be used.
“Without transparency, taxation becomes a tool of confusion and burden rather than a mechanism for growth and development,” Obi said.
The former governor argued that Nigeria’s fiscal challenge is not simply about raising revenue but about making citizens wealthier so the nation itself can grow stronger, noting that Nigerians are being asked to pay more taxes without clarity or visible public benefit.
He identified the empowerment of small and medium-sized enterprises as the foundation of sustainable growth, stressing that thriving small businesses create jobs, raise incomes and naturally expand the tax base.
“You cannot tax your way out of poverty; you must produce your way out of it,” Obi said.
Obi also raised concerns over what he described as an unprecedented tax fraud controversy, alleging that a tax law currently in use differs from the version passed by the National Assembly.
“For the first time in Nigeria’s history, a tax law has reportedly been forged, yet citizens are being asked to pay higher taxes under this manipulated framework,” he said.
Warning against celebrating rising government revenue while citizens grow poorer, Obi said such outcomes reflect governance failure, not success.
“There is no virtue in celebrating increased revenue while the people grow poorer. Any tax system that impoverishes citizens violates the principles of good governance,” he said.
He called for a lawful, fair and people-centred tax system that supports production, rewards enterprise, protects the vulnerable and restores trust between government and citizens.
