The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has launched an ambitious initiative to translate Nigeria’s proposed tax reform bills into 36 local languages. This move aims to break down complex policies for rural and urban communities, counter misinformation, and promote fair taxation.
Lanre Issa-Onilu, NOA’s director-general, announced the initiative at a town hall meeting in Maiduguri on Tuesday. He emphasized that the translation effort would foster understanding and ease fears surrounding the reforms.
“We’ve started translating the bills into Kanuri, Hausa, English, and other Nigerian languages to ensure inclusivity,” Issa-Onilu said. “Our media engagements, including radio programs and pamphlet distribution, are helping to clarify misconceptions.”
The proposed tax reforms aim to simplify the tax system, eliminate multiple taxation, and reduce the burden on low-income Nigerians. Key provisions include exempting individuals earning below ₦100,000 monthly from taxes and reducing rates for small traders and workers.
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Issa-Onilu shared a personal perspective, highlighting the reforms’ potential impact: “As a director, I pay over ₦200,000 in income tax annually. This law will reduce such burdens, enabling workers to enjoy more of their earnings.”
The initiative also targets rampant multiple taxation in public spaces like motor parks, where transport workers reportedly pay up to six levies to various agencies. The reforms promise to centralize tax collection and channel funds toward national development.
To address politicized narratives circulating on social media, the agency is engaging civil society groups, traditional rulers, and religious leaders through town hall meetings.
“The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive,” Issa-Onilu said. “Citizens are beginning to see these reforms as steps toward fairness and improved living standards.”
NOA has intensified public sensitization through collaborations with stations such as Al-Barka Radio and Eagle Radio, offering citizens opportunities to ask questions. Issa-Onilu urged Nigerians to support the initiative and assured them of continued awareness campaigns.
“This is a new dawn for taxation in Nigeria,” he said, “one that prioritizes fairness and economic relief for our citizens.”
