Tinubu to Nigerians: Pay taxes to demand development

President Bola Tinubu has urged Nigerians to embrace tax payment as a civic responsibility, saying sustainable development and quality public services cannot be achieved without adequate revenue generation.

Speaking on Friday at the Africa CEO Forum in Kigali, Rwanda, Tinubu said many citizens demand better roads, hospitals and social services while resisting taxation and other government development initiatives.

According to the president, taxation remains critical to funding infrastructure, healthcare, education and support for vulnerable citizens.

“Nobody wants to pay taxes. Yet everyone expects development,” Tinubu said.

“You want good roads and well-equipped hospitals, but you don’t want to contribute through taxes. The question is: how do we fund development and secure the future of our children?”

He stressed that both individuals and corporate organisations have a responsibility to contribute to national growth through tax compliance.

“A citizen who pays tax is a citizen. If you are not paying taxes and not exempted, then you are not fulfilling your obligation,” he added.

Tinubu also defended the economic reforms introduced by his administration, including the removal of fuel subsidy and the unification of the foreign exchange market, describing them as painful but necessary decisions to prevent economic collapse.

The president said Nigeria could no longer sustain wasteful subsidy payments and policies that encouraged smuggling and corruption.

“It was necessary to reset and reform the economy. We were spending future generations’ resources before they were born,” he said.

Tinubu recalled that before the reforms, many states struggled to pay workers’ salaries despite Nigeria’s status as an oil-producing country.

“You are producing oil, spending heavily on fuel subsidy, yet your refineries are not working. That trend was unsustainable,” he noted.

The president admitted that the reforms generated public criticism and hardship but insisted they were already yielding positive results.

He said the naira had become more stable and predictable, allowing businesses and government agencies to plan more effectively.

Tinubu further stated that the reforms had enabled the government to expand support for students and vulnerable households through direct intervention programmes and educational assistance.

Despite acknowledging ongoing economic challenges, the president expressed optimism about Nigeria’s future, saying his administration remained committed to long-term economic recovery and growth.