Oyebanji At JTB Retreat, Harps On Effective, Equitable Tax System

Ekiti State Governor Biodun Oyebanji has called on members of the Joint Tax Board (JTB), the apex body of all tax authorities in Nigeria, to ensure effective and equitable tax system in the country, in a bid to ensure the fulfilment of the tax reforms of President Bola Tinubu recently passed by the National Assembly.

The governor stated this at the opening ceremony of the 2025 Joint Tax Board Strategic Retreat held at Ikogosi Warm Springs Resort, Ikogosi-Ekiti yesterday.

Oyebanji reaffirmed the commitment of his administration towards the implementation of the national tax reforms, noting that the importance of a robust tax system in driving economic growth and citizens’ welfare cannot be over-emphasised.

The governor commended President Tinubu for proposing a far-reaching reform aimed at lifting the living standards of citizens which, according to him, is truly transformative and a collective fulfilment of the social contract that reinforces democratic governance for the existence of the country.

He explained that the key objectives of the bill were aimed at deepening the tax base, enhance revenue mobilisation, simplify compliance procedures, foster transparency and accountability across revenue agencies, as well as encourage digitalisation in tax administration. He added that the implementation of the bill next year would reshape process of revenue mobilisation and delivery of sustainable development.

The governor charged participants at the retreat which included executive chairmen of internal revenue services of the 36 states of the federation to effectively deliberate on the implications of the law to national development which he described as a pivotal shift towards a resilient and self-reliant economy to achieve transformative policy.

Commending the state’s internal revenue service led by its chairman, Mr Olaniran Olatona for their professionalism and strategic innovation, the governor revealed that his administration had been able to gear up internally generated revenue of the state from N650 million to over N2 billion within 26 months serving as base for providing critical funding to deliver dividends of democracy to the people.

In his remarks, the chairman, Joint Tax Board, Mr Zacch Adedeji, who commended Governor Oyebanji for providing effective leadership for internal revenue service to thrive in the state noted that the theme of the retreat, “Re-imagining the Nigeria tax eco-system: harnessing the four tax reform laws as game changers in tax administration” was apt and critically chosen to enforce President Tinubu’s tax reform nationally.