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Only 19% Of Nigerians Pay Taxes, Says FIRS Boss - Politics (3) - Nairaland

Nairaland ForumNairaland GeneralPoliticsOnly 19% Of Nigerians Pay Taxes, Says FIRS Boss (7575 Views)

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Re: Only 19% Of Nigerians Pay Taxes, Says FIRS Boss by Angelfrost(m): 3:25pm On May 29, 2025
AntiChristian:
Na the song you go sing for EFCC be this?

Who is embezzling tax funds?
Okay... No one is embezzling the funds.

Nigerians simply collect their salaries and bluntly refuse to pay taxes!

Infact, Tinubu is running the nation from his personal funds...!

Emefiele, Kalu, Okowa, Lamido, and others were arrested by EFCC for spraying money on the ground.


Are you satisfied now?!! lipsrsealed
Re: Only 19% Of Nigerians Pay Taxes, Says FIRS Boss by Princeton92(m): 3:26pm On May 29, 2025
So are you trying to say that the taxpayers are government workers?
Re: Only 19% Of Nigerians Pay Taxes, Says FIRS Boss by Angelfrost(m): 3:27pm On May 29, 2025
nairalanda1:
Oga, at the end, we don't pay enough tax, and that is the genesis of our fiscal problems

Your long story does not change the TRUTH. cheesy
Okay... We don't pay enough taxes. Good!

Let's keep going back and forth then.

No problem!!!

Nigeria is impossible to rule...!

I have learned so much from your wealth of wisdom.

Good day to you.
Re: Only 19% Of Nigerians Pay Taxes, Says FIRS Boss by chicfarmer: 3:27pm On May 29, 2025
ednut1:
personal income taxes he meant. In developed nations tax avoidance can lead to jail time
Those ticket moneys no be from their income? Market women and drivers get another thing when dem dey do?
The government should organise and streamline these collections and recognise them properly. Ticket money is TAX and it is not for politicians and their boys to collect and share among themselves. It must go directly to government coffers.
Re: Only 19% Of Nigerians Pay Taxes, Says FIRS Boss by Angelfrost(m): 3:28pm On May 29, 2025
lexy2014:
who are those who dont pay "the true value of what they are supposed to pay"?

Na the song you go sing for EFCC be this?

Angelfrost
Don't mind him...!

Some are refusing to pay the true value of what they earn... In which country?!!

What they earn that can be easily verified from banks via their bvn which the cbn and government have full access to.


Leave these Clowns abeg.
Re: Only 19% Of Nigerians Pay Taxes, Says FIRS Boss by Doctee: 3:28pm On May 29, 2025
50 naira being deducted on every bank transfer more than 10k is for what and those u collected from us thru telecommunication is also what ??
Re: Only 19% Of Nigerians Pay Taxes, Says FIRS Boss by Educationalserv: 3:29pm On May 29, 2025
nairalanda1:
Income tax is different from VAT.

IN the UK, everyone also pays VAT, and everyone also pays income tax, and council tax.

In Nigeria, everyone pays VAT...on a minority of goods sold here (you don't pay VAT on goods sold in the market), only 19% pay income tax, and even smaller numbers pay things like local state tax, and council tax
Is that the Heading Tax or Income tax ? With 80 percent unemployment rate where will the Income tax come from ? Ghosts abi
Re: Only 19% Of Nigerians Pay Taxes, Says FIRS Boss by BlackViper(op): 3:30pm On May 29, 2025
This is actually a well known fact


AntiChristian:
The new tax bill should fix this so no more complaints.

Is it only breweries that pays CIT or its a pool for all industrial CITs?

How are you so sure what gets due to Kano from the CIT is from Nigerian breweries?

Re: Only 19% Of Nigerians Pay Taxes, Says FIRS Boss by nairalanda1(m): 3:31pm On May 29, 2025
Angelfrost:
Okay... We don't pay enough taxes. Good!

Let's keep going back and forth then.

No problem!!!

Nigeria is impossible to rule...!

I have learned so much from your wealth of wisdom.

Good day to you.
I love your sarcasm

Still does not change the truth.

All of you on nairaland, you should stop thinking everything is tinubu and obi. And atiku, and corruption. There are sane political discussions to be had.

But you want free money, comrade, without where it comes from.

Sucess in the revolution! Comrade. After all, money comes from trees, as most of you here seem to think, until your side wins!cheesy

The people's flag is deepest red,
It shrouded oft our martyred dead
And ere their limbs grew stiff and cold,
Their hearts' blood dyed its every fold.

So raise the scarlet standard high,
Beneath its shade we'll live and die,
Though cowards flinch and traitors sneer,
We'll keep the red flag flying here
Re: Only 19% Of Nigerians Pay Taxes, Says FIRS Boss by saintmm(m): 3:31pm On May 29, 2025
Angelfrost:
Leave this talk abeg.

Who or what is keeping them from collecting those taxes?!!

Is the process too technical or difficult to set up and implement?!!

...Or could it be that the majority of the population is currently underemployed to the extent of not being able to pay taxes?!!

...Or the revenue generation process is so tinged with corruption and maladministration that it amounts to nothing?!!
Very logical thought.
Re: Only 19% Of Nigerians Pay Taxes, Says FIRS Boss by nairalanda1(m): 3:34pm On May 29, 2025
Educationalserv:
Is that the Heading Tax or Income tax ? With 80 percent unemployment rate where will the Income tax come from ? Ghosts abi
Okay, then you better praise and worship your god Tinubu when he takes a loan. Make sure you offer him two goats and a white hen in thanks

As for me, I face reality, and the reality is money does not grow on trees. Welcome to real life.
Re: Only 19% Of Nigerians Pay Taxes, Says FIRS Boss by advanceDNA: 3:34pm On May 29, 2025
ednut1:
personal income taxes he meant. In developed nations tax avoidance can lead to jail time
That figure is not even true...the number of Nigerians employed by the federal, state, and private bodies that remit PAYE are well over 19% not to talk of the many companies that remit not only income tax, by education tax, withholding, land use, emissions tax for those who use generator....
Let FIRS not come online and deceive pple....
they even collect income taxes from commercial motor drivers who ply interstate carrying goods and passengers....
Re: Only 19% Of Nigerians Pay Taxes, Says FIRS Boss by Angelfrost(m): 3:37pm On May 29, 2025
nairalanda1:
I love your sarcasm

Still does not change the truth.

All of you on nairaland, you should stop thinking everything is tinubu and obi. And atiku, and corruption. There are sane political discussions to be had.

But you want free money, comrade, without where it comes from.

Sucess in the revolution! Comrade. After all, money comes from trees, as most of you here seem to think, until your side wins!cheesy

The people's flag is deepest red,
It shrouded oft our martyred dead
And ere their limbs grew stiff and cold,
Their hearts' blood dyed its every fold.

So raise the scarlet standard high,
Beneath its shade we'll live and die,
Though cowards flinch and traitors sneer,
We'll keep the red flag flying here
Trust me, I wasn't even trying for sarcasm... Not even close.

Gaslighting citizens for failing in your job is simply abhorrent.

If these people want to generate revenue across the nation and streamline it into their coffers, they can achieve it in less then 3 months.

Saying that Nigerians will cry or be against it is just weak reasoning.

There is no nation on Earth where citizens pay taxes happily or joyfully.

The only reason they don't complain abroad is due solely to transparency and effective use of the generated revenues.


The EFCC and ICPC just came out to say they have gone after few persons who embezzled close to 50 Billion in less than one quarter of 2023 alone.


So, pushing the issues on average citizens wholly makes no sense...!
Re: Only 19% Of Nigerians Pay Taxes, Says FIRS Boss by Krak(m): 3:38pm On May 29, 2025
MoneyMan5:
You will see most Nairalanders argue but it is true that most Nigerian don't pay income taxes.
How many Nigerians earn a living wage? I think these people should be ashamed of saying all these considering the fact that most of the "little" that enters the government coffers have always been looted blue and black. Imaging them now having much more, they will simply loot more.

And, I actually think tax is tax, either income tax, VAT or whatever. Everybody ends up paying tax one way or the other. So they should stop gaslighting us and do their jobs as they are supposed to do it
Re: Only 19% Of Nigerians Pay Taxes, Says FIRS Boss by vexing(m): 3:38pm On May 29, 2025
This is fundamentally wrong. First of all we have to know the percentage of Nigerians that are adults, then subtract those that are unemployed or that have no sustainable means of income. Then we can now take the statistics of those paying tax.
Re: Only 19% Of Nigerians Pay Taxes, Says FIRS Boss by ednut1(m): 3:39pm On May 29, 2025
advanceDNA:
That figure is not even true...the number of Nigerians employed by the federal, state, and private bodies that remit PAYE are well over 19% not to talk of the many companies that remit not only income tax, by education tax, withholding, land use, emissions tax for those who use generator....
Let FIRS not come online and deceive pple....
they even collect income taxes from commercial motor drivers who ply interstate carrying goods and passengers....
a lot of private companies are not remitting taxes. You think people working in small hotel/joints, some schools, sales girls, house maid, drivers, cooks, those working in amala joints etc dey pay income taxes? 😂
Re: Only 19% Of Nigerians Pay Taxes, Says FIRS Boss by nairalanda1(m): 3:40pm On May 29, 2025
Angelfrost:
Trust me, I wasn't even trying for sarcasm... Not even close.

Gaslighting citizens for failing in your job is simply abhorrent.

If these people want to generate revenue across the nation and streamline it into their coffers, they can achieve it in less then 3 months.

Saying that Nigerians will cry or be against it is just weak reasoning.

There is no nation on Earth where citizens pay taxes happily or joyfully.

The only reason they don't complain abroad is due solely to transparency and effective use of the generated revenues.


The EFCC and ICPC just came out to say they have gone after few persons who embezzled close to 50 Billion in less than one quarter of 2023 alone.


So, pushing the issues on average citizens wholly makes no sense...!
Dont worry, PDP will fix it. Obi will fix it.

Am sure them agbado are now crying since their master has failed.

Meanwhile...dutch disease.
Re: Only 19% Of Nigerians Pay Taxes, Says FIRS Boss by Educationalserv: 3:41pm On May 29, 2025
nairalanda1:
Okay, then you better praise and worship your god Tinubu when he takes a loan. Make sure you offer him two goats and a white hen in thanks

As for me, I face reality, and the reality is money does not grow on trees. Welcome to real life.
Stop making excuse for Failure's governing Nigeria .
Re: Only 19% Of Nigerians Pay Taxes, Says FIRS Boss by nairalanda1(m): 3:43pm On May 29, 2025
Educationalserv:
Stop making excuse for Failure's governing Nigeria .
ON the contrary, the fact that 19% of nigerians pay tax shows that the APC government is weak in enforcing its own rules and regime power, and projecting power.

Why do you think I would support such a useless government like that? Are you on something that makes you see something?
Re: Only 19% Of Nigerians Pay Taxes, Says FIRS Boss by Skyjones7(m): 3:43pm On May 29, 2025
The same FIRS who could not paid rent in Abuja
Re: Only 19% Of Nigerians Pay Taxes, Says FIRS Boss by Angelfrost(m): 3:48pm On May 29, 2025
nairalanda1:
Can a country work when less than 20% of the people pay taxes?

Answer that, and we can talk.

Oga PDP man wey wan call me agbado, because I dey laugh at am!

I can't lie to you.
Can a country where wealth is distributed largely among a privileged class of 10% work?!!

Can a country were Corruption thrives work?!!

Can a country where over 60% of the population are underemployed or unemployed work?!!

Can a country where the minimum wage is not sufficient to be called a living wage work?!!
Re: Only 19% Of Nigerians Pay Taxes, Says FIRS Boss by owobokiri(m): 3:49pm On May 29, 2025
nairalanda1:
Can a country work when less than 20% of the people pay taxes?

Answer that, and we can talk.

Oga PDP man wey wan call me agbado, because I dey laugh at am!

I can't lie to you.
Many oil rich countries are working without their citizens being turned to beast of burden.
Check Libya under Gaddafi, Kuwait, Qatar today.
Check their tax regimes and juxtapose that with that of Nigeria. Many businesses in China pay peanuts as taxes.

But here, an oil and gas rich country wants to tax her citizens into extinction. Dubai was built with oil money and not with proceeds from over taxation of the poor masses..

Show us what you have done with the trillions you collected as tax revenues and the trillions you collected as oil royalties . That will encourage folks to pay more.
Let's start from there..
Re: Only 19% Of Nigerians Pay Taxes, Says FIRS Boss by casualobserver: 3:50pm On May 29, 2025
chicfarmer:
I disagree. The tickets bus drivers,keke drivers, bike riders and market women and men pay for everyday no be tax?
SarkinYarki:
Why should a tax professional say this kiind of nonsense? There is no Nigerian living that doesn't pay tax daily , they lie to you that you don't pay tax so you can't complain about bad governance while in reality you are among the most taxed people on earth .
SarkinYarki:
VAT is tax and everybody pays it
what he meant is income tax! the reality is if truly most Nigerians are poor then they not will fall into the income tax bracket


a more accurate statement from the chairman should have been most Nigerians ELIGIBLE for income tax payers do not actually pay income tax. All these mechanics, spare parts dealers, traders and even farmers dont pay income tax and many of them make millions a year.
Re: Only 19% Of Nigerians Pay Taxes, Says FIRS Boss by Angelfrost(m): 3:52pm On May 29, 2025
MoneyMan5:
You will see most Nairalanders argue but it is true that most Nigerian don't pay income taxes.
Try to sound smart even if it is difficult...!

What do you mean by most Nigerians don't pay income tax?!!

Better yet, how do you mean?!!

You mean civil servants and private employees don't have taxes deducted from their salaries every month?!!

You mean traders and contractors don't pay levies and duties on their goods and services?!!

You mean business and land owners are not taxed?!!


You mean import duties are not paid on goods being brought in?!!



SMH... You Nigerians should learn to think for yourselves not being mentally controlled by the dimwits in power.
Re: Only 19% Of Nigerians Pay Taxes, Says FIRS Boss by Scamburster(m):
owobokiri:
Show evidence of good use of the taxes paid and you will have the morale highground to demand for more payment of taxes. Nobody is saying that taxes are wrong, we are saying that using people's tax money for personal aggradisement is bad...

Taxes are not paid to be used to pamper those in power. Taxes are paid to be used for provision of services and amenities to the people.. This should be very simple to understand..

The problem with arguing with folks like you is that it can be very frustrating. You're mentally messed up. You have been raised to see your traditional rulers as God-men. Essentially, you can tolerate whatsoever they or anyone in charge does wrong in power. Even when they steal..
Oga, stop wasting your time in replying that guy, he type sometimes like a malfunctioned programed robot.
Re: Only 19% Of Nigerians Pay Taxes, Says FIRS Boss by Angelfrost(m): 3:54pm On May 29, 2025
casualobserver:
what he meant is income tax! the reality is if truly most Nigerians are poor then they will fall under the threshold of income tax


a more accurate statement from the chairman should have been most ELIGIBLE income tax payers do not pay income tax.
That in itself is a big LIE!

The only income earners that escape taxes are those whose incomes are not documented, and that can never be more than 45% of the working population.
Re: Only 19% Of Nigerians Pay Taxes, Says FIRS Boss by fabolouz1(m): 3:54pm On May 29, 2025
And the organisation you are headed can't pay ground rents.
Re: Only 19% Of Nigerians Pay Taxes, Says FIRS Boss by olax02(m): 3:55pm On May 29, 2025
How does he come to this conclusion of 19%? What of VAT, IS THAT NOT A TAX?. Empty skull.
Re: Only 19% Of Nigerians Pay Taxes, Says FIRS Boss by Love800(m): 3:55pm On May 29, 2025
Lol!

This nigga always dey make me laugh!

You always say 10percent of the truth, leaving the rest 80percent out of touch with reality!

Seems you are programmed!
nairalanda1:
smiley

And that's a large reason why we are in debt , and why most of our budget comes from oil money.
Re: Only 19% Of Nigerians Pay Taxes, Says FIRS Boss by ElSudani: 3:57pm On May 29, 2025
The remaining 81% are often the loudest when it comes to making demands from the government.
Re: Only 19% Of Nigerians Pay Taxes, Says FIRS Boss by nairalanda1(m): 3:59pm On May 29, 2025
The problem with economic discussions on nairaland is that most people will spend time saying the same thing over and over again...that the government is corrupt, that they are stealing money and running the country badly...all are true , but when their side wins, they will then change the tune to government is doing well, be paitent. SOme will even begin to sound like me. cheesy

I have been here a long time. I recall when many of the APC bots were blasting the government back then in 2013 and 14 for the above. When GEJ wanted to remove subsidy, and they blasted him. Then buhari and then tinubu came, and the tune changed. (Only a few nairalanders have been consistent).

But let's put politics aside. The fact is, tax revenue has been low in Nigeria. The World bank has been telling us for years, the PwC has been shouting it since 2016, BBC even did a report on it in 2019, which woke me up, because up till 2019, I thought most people paid tax . But we did not listen, yes, even people like me till 2019, because we preferred the sweet lies.

Also, since Independence, the lie, started by our independence leaders, and continued by everyone since then, has been fed to us. Nigeria has so many resources that all we need to do is to sell them and share the money equitably and we would develop. That lie began to fail us as early as the civil war times. And see the result of the lie...yet we believe it.

Instead of facing hard facts, we come here and scream regions and BIafra. I have news, we can get regions, the tax issue will still be there. Get biafra, any new country, tax issue will still be there. And if you think that Biafra will survive on 2 million barrels per day of crude or even 3 million, I have a bridge in Arizona to sell you for $10 . In good condition.

And I keep hearing the very silly comment that we can't pay tax because government will steal it. That sounds like the 40 year old virgin maiden who is still waiting for Mr Right who is tall and dark like VDM with the bank account of Dangote to rescue her. Perfect governments are the work of people holding them to account....and a system where most Nigerians pay tax is going to facilitate that. If 80% of Nigerians working nigerians (not including kids and students!) paid tax....you think tinubu and co will steal. If they steal, they will hear it even from Yoruba members of APC. But because most of the money spent comes from oyel...no one cares enough.

At the end, let's forget politics. We need money for a host of things, and the idea that resources will pay for all of them has been a extinct one, like the dodo, since the 1920's.

And calling me agbado, or whatever or implying I support corruption does not change that. Infact the painful thing about corruption in Nigeria is basically that we don't have a national cake, we have a N50 Loaf that we are struggling to feed 200 million people with, and some people are still stealing from that loaf

But since most of you are only interested in your side winning, you won't pay attention to what I am trying to tell you.

Na so e be. No one believed Cassandra after all.
Re: Only 19% Of Nigerians Pay Taxes, Says FIRS Boss by Love800(m): 4:00pm On May 29, 2025
Do Nigerians earn well to pay tax!
You guys just rush to say oblivion scenes!
ednut1:
personal income taxes he meant. In developed nations tax avoidance can lead to jail time
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