Regina Otokpa 
The Situation Room, a coalition of 1,000 civil society groups, has concluded plans to hold a town hall meeting to discuss the proposed Nigeria Tax Bill, 2024. Key provisions in the bill include VAT increases, company income tax, development levies and excise taxes.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu recently transmitted the bill to the National Assembly seeking to reshape Nigeria’s fiscal framework. However, governors and traditional rulers of northern Nigeria have rejected the bill, citing inconsistencies with regional interests.
A statement by the Executive Director of The Situation Room, Dr. Vincent Ntui, yesterday in Abuja, said that the meeting with the theme; “Taxation in Nigeria: Issues, Challenges and the Future,” aims to examine the bill’s provisions and implications.
According to Ntui, the meeting would bring together scholars, civil society representatives, policymakers and stakeholders to facilitate dialogue and ensure that the bill serves Nigeria’s best interests.
While disclosing that the town hall meeting would adopt a civil society working document outlining concerns and recommendations for the National Assembly, Ntui emphasised the meeting’s importance in promoting transparency, accountability and inclusivity in policymaking.
He said: “We are proud to announce that the Situation Room, a coalition of 1,000 civil society groups across Nigeria, is set to convene a strategic town hall meeting on December 1, 2024, to discuss the proposed Nigeria Tax Bill, 2024.
“This meeting with the theme; ‘Taxation in Nigeria: Issues, Challenges, and the Future,’ aims to provide a platform for stakeholders to critically examine the bill’s provisions and their implications for the country.
“The proposed bill, recently transmitted to the National Assembly by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, seeks to reshape Nigeria’s fiscal framework and establish a comprehensive legal framework governing taxation of incomes, transactions, and instruments.”
“However, it has generated concerns from various quarters, including governors and traditional rulers from northern Nigeria, who have rejected the bill, citing its inconsistency with the interests of the north and other subnational entities.”
