NOA Sensitises Katsina Residents To Tax Reform, NELFUND

The Katsina State Directorate of the National Orientation Agency has launched a sensitisation campaign on the Nigerian new tax reform law, the National Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), and the need to promote maintenance culture on government developmental projects.

Speaking during a press conference held at the Conference Room of the Federal Secretariat Complex in Katsina, the state director of the agency Mallam Haruna Abdulahi Mallumfashi, said the initiative was aimed at educating citizens on policies and programmes that directly affect national development.

The director explained that the newly enacted tax reform law by the Federal Government was designed to simplify the country’s tax system, ensure fairness, and improve revenue generation without placing unnecessary burdens on ordinary Nigerians.

According to him, the law reduces pressure on low-income earners and small businesses while ensuring that high-income individuals and large corporations contribute their fair share.

He further stated that the reform harmonizes multiple taxes and levies that previously created confusion and duplication, while also strengthening transparency and accountability through digitization and real-time monitoring.

Mallumfashi noted that improved revenue generation would provide more funding for critical sectors such as roads, healthcare, education, and agriculture in Katsina State.

“Paying tax is not a punishment. It is a civic duty and the foundation of nation-building,” he said.

He called on media organisations, traditional rulers, religious leaders, market associations, and youth groups to help take the sensitisation campaign to communities across the state.

On the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, popularly known as NELFUND, the director described education as the greatest investment any nation can make.

He explained that the scheme was established to remove financial barriers preventing Nigerian students from accessing tertiary education, adding that the programme provides interest-free tuition loans paid directly to institutions, monthly upkeep allowances for students, and a flexible repayment structure that begins only after graduation and employment.

The director disclosed that as of April 2026, over 1.7 million applications had been received nationwide, with more than 1.3 million students already benefiting from the scheme.

He urged eligible students in Katsina State to take advantage of the opportunity, stressing that no student should abandon education because of financial difficulties.

The NOA also advised parents, students, and school authorities to verify eligibility through the official NELFUND portal, ensure accurate documentation and BVN linkage, and avoid fraudsters or middlemen

The agency further emphasized the importance of maintenance culture, describing poor maintenance of public infrastructure as a major challenge facing the country.

The director lamented that roads often deteriorate shortly after construction, boreholes break down, school furniture disappears, and hospitals lack functional equipment due to neglect.

He called on citizens to see government projects as collective property that must be protected from vandalism and misuse.

The NOA also urged ministries, departments, agencies, and local governments to prioritize maintenance budgets alongside new projects.

According to the director, the success of government developmental projects depends on citizens embracing responsibility and protecting public assets for future generations.

He stressed that the tax reform law, NELFUND, and maintenance culture were interconnected, noting that taxation generates revenue, education develops human capital, and maintenance ensures lasting impact of public investments.

The agency reaffirmed its commitment to promoting patriotism, value reorientation, and positive behavioural change across Katsina State and Nigeria.