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Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, has highlighted the low tax collection in Nigeria as a significant obstacle to adequately financing essential sectors such as health and education.
Speaking at a Pan-African youth dialogue on nutrition in Abuja on Tuesday, September 3, Gates emphasized that for citizens to trust the government’s ability to deliver quality services, there must be a commitment to ensuring that the funds collected are managed effectively.
Gates noted, “The actual tax collection in Nigeria is pretty low. If citizens want education and healthcare improvements, they need to see that these programs are well-run.
It’s exciting that we are driving the credibility of those health programs so that citizens will feel primary healthcare should be a priority for funding as fiscal flexibility improves.”
His statement suggests that increased tax collection could support better-funded health initiatives, provided the government demonstrates efficiency and accountability in managing these resources.
Read Also: FG Plans to Remove Taxes on Food, Rent, and Public Transportation to Ease Economic Burden
The discussion around tax collection comes at a time when the Chairman of the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee, Taiwo Oyedele, has proposed a law to the National Assembly to increase value-added tax (VAT) from the current 7.5% to 10%.
However, concerns remain about whether the government is prepared to put aside self-interest and utilize increased tax revenues for the public good or if the move could further strain already burdened citizens.
