The chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, Taiwo Oyedele, has accused the majority of Nigeria’s tax consultants of thriving on tax evasion, describing their activities as criminal and detrimental to the nation’s economic growth.
Oyedele, in a viral video currently circulating online, alleged that about 90 per cent of tax consultants in the country—including lawyers, accountants, and practitioners—make their living from helping clients evade lawful taxes.
“That’s what they do for a living. The vast majority of them, 90 per cent of them, are selling tax evasion,” Oyedele declared.
He explained that many consultants deliberately falsify company accounts, collude with corrupt tax officers, and settle illegal bribes to drastically reduce their clients’ liabilities.
According to him, cases abound where firms meant to pay ₦10 million in taxes were manipulated to pay as little as ₦1 million, with the rest shared among consultants and compromised officials.
“You cook the books so that they can pay ₦1 million. Pay a bribe to the tax man, keep the rest to yourself and move on to the next client,” he lamented.
Oyedele stressed that while politicians are often blamed for Nigeria’s economic challenges, professionals who aid tax fraud are equally culpable in sabotaging reforms and depleting public revenue.
To curb the menace, he revealed that a new framework had been introduced mandating tax consultants to pass three key tests—competency, integrity, and compliance—before representing any client.
“How can the country be better like that? We know politicians have their own problems. But we have to solve these problems together. From now on, you must pass a competency test, an integrity test, and a compliance test. You cannot give what you don’t have,” he warned.
The fiscal policy chief called for collective responsibility, urging professionals to embrace transparency as the nation seeks to strengthen its tax system and boost revenue generation.
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