By Salami Abdulrahaman | Abuja
A coalition of Nigerian and international civil society organisations (CSOs) and trade unions has launched the #PayTax4Wetin campaign, calling on the Federal Government to ensure that Nigeria’s ongoing tax reforms translate into visible improvements in public services through transparency, accountability and effective implementation.
The campaign was unveiled on Thursday, July 23, 2026, at the conclusion of a policy dialogue titled “Funding Quality Public Services to Build Trust in Nigeria’s Tax Laws” held in Abuja.
In a communiqué issued after the event, the coalition described Nigeria’s tax reforms as a major opportunity to strengthen domestic revenue mobilisation, improve tax administration and create a fairer, more efficient tax system.
According to the group, the tax laws, which came into effect in January 2026, introduced key measures aimed at strengthening corporate income taxation, expanding taxation of foreign digital companies under the Significant Economic Presence (SEP) framework and implementing a 15 per cent minimum effective tax rate for large multinational enterprises.
The coalition, however, warned that the success of the reforms would depend on transparent implementation, institutional efficiency and public accountability.
It urged federal, state and local governments to regularly publish accessible information on tax collections, compliance rates, tax incentives and exemptions, allowing citizens and civil society organisations to monitor how public revenue is generated and spent.
The coalition noted that despite paying taxes, millions of Nigerians still bear the cost of essential services such as healthcare, education, electricity, water supply and transportation. It argued that additional revenue generated from the reforms should be invested in improving public services, creating jobs, reducing poverty, supporting women and young people, strengthening businesses and rebuilding public trust in government.
Among its recommendations, the coalition called for the establishment of an independent tax accountability mechanism, stronger taxation of multinational corporations and digital economy operators, increased investment in education, healthcare, water and energy infrastructure, and a transparent public spending system that enables citizens to track how tax revenues are utilised.
Speaking during the press conference, Chika Okoh of the Tax Justice and Governance Platform, Stephen Akinfala of Connected Development (CODE), Camila Barretto, Executive Director of the Global Initiative for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (GI-ESCR), Roselyne Onyango, Africa Programme Officer at GI-ESCR, Margaret Aladeselu of Gatefield and Ambrose Kudu of PSI National Coordinating Committee (PSI-NCC) Nigeria stressed that increased public revenue must be managed transparently and invested in quality education, healthcare, clean water, reliable electricity and other essential services that directly improve the lives of Nigerians.
The campaign seeks to answer a central question: “What will Nigeria’s new tax system deliver to its people?
The coalition urged the government to ensure that taxes collected particularly from multinational corporations and high net worth individuals result in tangible benefits, including better schools, modern healthcare facilities, reliable electricity, safe water supply and a more efficient public service.
The Pay Tax4Wetin campaign is backed by the Global Initiative for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (GI-ESCR), Tax Justice and Governance Platform, Connected Development (CODE), Gatefield, PSI National Coordinating Committee Nigeria, and other civil society organisations advocating tax justice, transparency and improved public service delivery across Nigeria.
