The federal government has held a grassroots sensitisation drive across key areas of Ibadan, Oyo State, to educate the people on the recently signed Tax Reform Act and its impacts on the people.
The government, through the Presidential Community Engagement Office (South-West), in collaboration with the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), organised the exercise focused on explaining the real-life benefits of the reforms to traders, transport workers, artisans, and small business owners.
The awareness drive, themed ‘Irọrun fún Mẹkúnù’ (Relief for the Common Man), moved from Ojoo to Mokola Roundabout in Ibadan. It used mobile banners, placards, sound systems, and multilingual materials to explain the core provisions of the tax reform.
Key messages included the exemption of low-income earners from personal income tax, reduced burden on small businesses, simplified payment processes, and improved revenue autonomy for state and local governments, creating more room for community-level development, infrastructure, and responsive governance.
Addressing journalists during the exercise, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement (South-West), Moremi Ojudu, said the campaign was designed to ensure that everyday Nigerians are not left behind in conversations about reform.
According to her, “the tax reform is here to make life easier for every Nigerian. It affects market women, mechanics, students, commercial drivers, and everyone who earns a living.
“For instance, traders who used to face multiple levies from different sources can now breathe easier under a simplified system.
Low-income earners no longer have to part with a portion of their small salaries, and small business owners can grow without fear of being overtaxed.
“We want people to understand how these changes support them, reduce pressure, and give them a fairer chance. This outreach is about clarity, not just compliance.”
Residents across several markets and motor parks interacted with the outreach team and received educational materials in English, Yoruba, and Pidgin.
The sensitisation drive is part of a wider national effort to make the Renewed Hope Agenda a lived reality for citizens, especially those in underserved communities.
