Tax Reforms: Kaduna Market Women Trained In Record-keeping, Compliance

Women traders operating nano and small-scale businesses in Kaduna State have been trained on basic record-keeping and voluntary tax compliance as part of efforts to deepen understanding of Nigeria’s new tax reforms and expand inclusion within the informal sector.

The two-day training of trainers workshop was organised by the Kaduna State coordinator of the Tax Justice and Governance Platform (TJ&GP), with support from Christian Aid, and brought together 30 women leaders drawn from nine to 10 major market clusters across the state.

Designed to boost financial literacy, the training focused on the 2026 New Tax Reforms, practical business record-keeping skills and improved engagement between women taxpayers and tax authorities, while also equipping participants with facilitation skills to cascade the knowledge to other traders.

Speaking at the workshop, president of the Market Women Association, Kaduna State, Hajia Hadiza Abdullaziz, described the new tax law as a positive and timely intervention for traders, noting that many market women previously lacked a clear understanding of taxation.

“As market people, we now see this law as a privilege. The explanations showed that it is designed to support both men and women, with clear distinctions based on categories of taxpayers”.

She expressed confidence that the women leaders in attendance would return to their markets to share the knowledge gained, while appealing to government to match compliance with improved market infrastructure such as security, water supply, lighting and functional toilets.

Also speaking, Head of Corporate Communications and Public Relations at the Kaduna State Internal Revenue Service (KADIRS), Zakari Jamil, said the new tax law is progressive and deliberately structured to promote the informal sector and encourage voluntary compliance.

According to him, the law strengthens automation and digitalisation in line with the Nigerian Tax Administration Act (NTAA), enabling taxpayers to carry out assessments, generate e-invoices and make payments through official platforms, while still accommodating handwritten records during the transition.

Jamil explained that all individuals and businesses are now required to obtain a Tax ID, generated with a National Identification Number (NIN), name and date of birth, noting that the ID is mandatory for dealings with banks, pension administrators and other formal institutions.

On incentives, he disclosed that market women renting shops are entitled to a 20 per cent rent relief or a maximum of N500,000, while agricultural produce businesses enjoy tax exemptions and small enterprises benefit from a simplified presumptive tax regime.

Earlier in his remarks, Kaduna State Coordinator of TJ&GP, Simeon Olatunde, explained that empowering women with knowledge of their tax obligations and rights is critical to building trust and compliance.

Olatunde said the timing of the engagement was deliberate, to ensure that women in the informal sector are equipped before the end of the year with the knowledge needed to keep records, use tax platforms, claim entitled reliefs, and comply appropriately.