Grey Areas Can Wait, But Tax Law Must Move, Says AERMP
Politics, Elite Anxiety, and the Tax Net
Controversy vs Context
AERMP has dismissed public controversies around the new tax laws as politicised narratives amplified by vested interests. Speaking Thursday, Director-General Dr Olayinka Odutola argued that the loudest objections are not from citizens but from segments of the elite who fear exposure to a more comprehensive tax regime.
He criticised debates over alleged discrepancies between National Assembly proceedings and gazetted tax versions, saying the matter has been “exaggerated and weaponised politically.”
“Stakeholders can address grey areas after implementation rather than attempt to halt the law,” he said, advocating a fix-while-flying approach over policy paralysis.
A Development Crisis, Not a Documentation Crisis
Odutola reframed the issue, insisting that Nigeria’s challenge is not paperwork inconsistencies but systemic tax avoidance in parts of the country.
He lamented that some regions have normalised non-payment of taxes, describing it as “unhealthy for balanced national development.”
Reform as a Security Tool
He also tied the reforms to national stability, claiming the laws have shifted the burden away from the poor, a move he said could curb crime, insecurity, and economic exclusion, while boosting prosperity.
He urged the media to avoid sensational framing and adopt constructive policy amplification in the public interest.
