0
…Declares New Tax Laws Will Deliver Prosperity To Nigerians
…Akpabio Says Insecurity Increasing Because Election Is Coming
ABUJA – President Bola Tinubu has described major players in the opposition political parties, comprising the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as confused personalities.
The president gave the assertion on Tuesday, while commissioning the corporate headquarters of the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) in the heart of Abuja, the nation’s capital.
Tinubu equally pricked the conscience of state governors, urging them to be more generous with funds at their disposal.
The president’s comment marked the umpteenth time he would be pleading to governors to alleviate the suffering of people at the grassroots level.
In the words of the president, “Your Excellencies, you have impressed me so much with your show of unity and solidarity.
Each place you go around the country, when you all show up and walk together. Then, I must say thank you, but what’s left is wet the ground small”. He also charged the Nigeria Revenue Service to build public trust through transparency and accountability.
“You must embody trust and ensure fairness and demonstrate that government can be accountable, responsive and earn confidence at home and respect abroad,” he stated.
He reminded the revenue generating agency that it must prove to Nigerians that governance can be both transparent and effective, especially in revenue administration.
He gave reasons why he approved far reaching reforms that would transform the economy, saying he wanted a revenue system that rewards enterprise, supports growth, and ensures that every contribution to the national cause is matched by feasible value for the people. He noted that the early results are already encouraging and fantastic.
President Tinubu declared that Nigeria’s outdated, colonial-era tax system had long undermined economic growth and impoverished citizens, but affirmed that his administration’s sweeping reforms are already setting the country on a path to prosperity, inclusivity and global competitiveness.
“On my inauguration day, I made a solemn pledge that we will move Nigerians from the dimness of uncertainty into the clear light of renewed hope. I committed to confronting structural weaknesses, restoring financial stability, and building an economy anchored in discipline, equity, and opportunity. Today, I stand before you to reaffirm that these words were not rhetoric; they were a covenant with the Nigerian people”, Tinubu stated.
“We are not gathered here merely to commission an edifice. We are here to mark a milestone in a larger national journey: the deliberate strengthening of our fiscal foundation and rebuilding of confidence in public institutions.
No serious nation can achieve lasting prosperity on a weak and fragmented revenue system. “That is why this administration took the bold decision to embark on far-reaching tax and fiscal reforms”, he added.
Highlighting early gains from the reforms, the president said: “The reforms are designed to simplify our system, eliminate distortions and create a fair, transparent and investment-friendly environment.
Our direction is clear: to have a revenue system that rewards enterprise, supports growth, and ensures that every contribution to the national cause is matched by feasible value for the people.
“The early results are encouraging and fantastic. We are witnessing improved fiscal stability, stronger foreign reserves, a more efficient trade ecosystem and increased investor confidence in Nigeria’s economic direction”, he said.
According to him, “Nigeria’s future will not be determined by chance. It will be determined by the choices we all make together. We have chosen reform. “We have chosen discipline. We have chosen progress. We have chosen development, prosperity, and inclusiveness.
“We will stay this course, steadfast and focused, until the promise of Nigeria is matched by the performance of its institutions and the prosperity of its people. To the glory of God Almighty, and to the benefits of Nigeria at home and abroad, I hereby declare this building open”.
The NRS, which replaces the Federal Inland Revenue Service, was created following the passage of the Nigeria Tax Act 2025 and the Nigeria Tax Administration Act 2025, part of broader fiscal reforms by the administration.
NRS Executive Chairman, Zacch Adedeji, described the commissioning as “a milestone in strengthening revenue administration and expanding the tax base while improving service delivery.”
Meanwhile, Senate President Godswill Akpabio on Tuesday attributed a surge in security threats in parts of the country to political maneuvering ahead of the 2027 elections, insisting that President Bola Tinubu continues to retain broad public support despite the unrest.
The Senate President described recent attacks as orchestrated distractions by opponents unnerved by President Tinubu’s expanding influence. “You are seeing insecurity today. It is even increasing because elections are coming,” he said.
Akpabio predicted a swift drop-off in incidents post-election, adding that President Tinubu’s fiscal reforms have pulled nearly 30 governors into his political orbit, up from fewer than 18 previously.
“Nigerians cannot do without you in 2027,” Akpabio told the president, singling infrastructure gains and economic reforms like fuel-subsidy removal as reasons for enduring backing. The National Assembly, he said, would keep supporting these policies amid shifting party alliances.
Recall that insurgency in the North-East from Boko Haram and ISWAP has continued to claim lives, displacing people, and destabilising communities with the military moving heavily against the perpetrators.
The commissioning of the new NRS building attracted high-profile guests including the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas; Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu; governors of Kwara, Kogi, and Plateau, among others.
