The Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, Taiwo Oyedele, has directed all Nigerians including salaried workers, business owners and employers — to file their annual tax returns on or before March 31, warning that non-compliance violates existing tax laws.
Oyedele gave the charge during a webinar organised for human resource managers, payroll officers, chief financial officers and tax managers in collaboration with the Joint Revenue Board, stressing that tax compliance remains dangerously low across the country.
He said while many employers routinely deduct Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE) taxes from workers’ salaries, that does not absolve individuals of their personal obligation to file annual self-assessment returns.
“Many people wrongly assume that once their employer deducts tax, their responsibility ends. That is not correct. Both under the old and new tax laws, every employee must still file tax returns,” Oyedele stated.
He lamented that compliance levels remain poor nationwide, noting that even in the most advanced states, less than five per cent of taxpayers file annual returns.
“In many states, over 90 per cent of eligible taxpayers fail to file. That is a serious gap in our tax system and one we must urgently correct,” he said.
Oyedele explained that under the ongoing fiscal and tax reforms, employers are also required to file annual returns for their workers, including projections of staff earnings and tax liabilities, warning that defaulting organisations have only days left to comply.
He added that businesses benefiting from tax incentives must now disclose such concessions in their tax filings, describing the move as part of efforts to improve transparency, accountability and revenue tracking.
“Any enterprise enjoying tax incentives has a legal obligation to disclose them in its returns or shortly after filing. This is now clearly provided for under the new tax laws,” he said.
The committee chairman assured Nigerians that tax authorities, the Joint Revenue Board and state internal revenue services were working to simplify filing procedures, especially for low-income earners and small businesses.
“All Nigerians, regardless of income level, must file their tax returns by March 31 in respect of the previous fiscal year. The process will continue to get easier, but compliance is not optional,” Oyedele warned.
He said the reforms were aimed at widening the tax net, strengthening public trust and boosting government revenue without overburdening compliant citizens.
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