‘Millions of Nigerians not paying tax due to ignorance’

Millions of Nigerians are failing to meet their tax obligations not out of defiance but due to widespread ignorance and lack of proper guidance, the Budget Advocacy and Reforms Association (BRASS) has said.

Speaking during a press conference in Kano on Monday, the Project Lead of the Independent Tax Volunteers (ITV) Programme, Prof. Abdullahi Ya’u, said limited tax awareness remains one of the biggest obstacles to Nigeria’s revenue performance.

“The challenge is not that Nigerians are unwilling to pay tax. Many simply do not understand what to pay, how to pay, or where to begin.

“Millions of individuals, micro businesses and informal sector operators want to comply but lack access to accurate information,” he said.

Prof. Ya’u said the newly launched Independent Tax Volunteers Programme aims to bridge this gap by deploying thousands of trained volunteers across communities to provide free tax education, assist small businesses, and support digital onboarding onto tax platforms.

He said the initiative was created in response to long-standing capacity limitations faced by tax authorities at federal, state and local levels.

“Tax agencies cannot reach every community on their own. Our volunteers will help citizens understand their obligations while also helping authorities gather feedback and improve service delivery,” he explained.

The ITV Programme plans to recruit and certify 7,500 volunteers nationwide; educate at least 500,000 taxpayers annually; assist with TIN registration and basic filing; provide advisory support to MSMEs; run digital helpdesks and community sensitisation campaigns and gather taxpayer feedback to support data-driven reforms.

Prof. Ya’u said the feedback component is one of the most strategic features, as volunteers will document challenges faced by taxpayers such as bottlenecks, digital access barriers and compliance difficulties and relay them to FIRS and State Internal Revenue Services.

“This means ITV will not only educate taxpayers but also help tax agencies improve their systems and communication using real evidence from the field,” he said.

He said the initiative aligns with Nigeria’s push for internally generated revenue (IGR), noting that sustainable tax growth must be built on fairness, transparency and voluntary compliance not coercion.

“What Nigeria needs now is an informed taxpayer population and stronger collaboration between citizens and the tax system,” he said.

All volunteers will be listed in the Independent Register of Community Services (IRCS), a global database that verifies civic contributions and improves professional credibility.

Prof. Ya’u urged FIRS, State IRS agencies, educational institutions, local governments, market associations and development partners to collaborate with the programme.

“Your partnership is key to the success of this national effort. Together, we can build a tax system that Nigerians understand and trust,” he said.

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