Former Anambra State governor Peter Obi has warned that Nigeria risks deepening hardship and weakening national cohesion by pursuing tax policies that place heavier burdens on an already impoverished population.
Obi said genuine prosperity cannot be achieved through policies that make citizens poorer, stressing that sustainable economic growth must be built on trust, honesty and productivity rather than excessive taxation.
He made the remarks in a statement shared on X, where he addressed taxation, leadership responsibility and what he described as a weakening social contract between the government and the people.
Drawing from his engagements with global leaders, Obi said countries that achieved lasting transformation did so by uniting citizens around a shared vision anchored on truth and transparency. According to him, leadership without honesty destroys national consensus and undermines development.
“As I travel the world and meet leaders who have transformed their nations, one lesson is clear: lasting economic and social progress begins with national consensus,” he said. “Transformative leaders share a defining quality — honesty. Government must be transparent and truthful because citizens deserve nothing less.”
Obi argued that taxation should operate as a genuine social contract rooted in fairness, sincerity and concern for citizens’ welfare. He said every tax policy must be clearly explained, including its impact on incomes and how the proceeds contribute to national development.
“Without transparency, taxation becomes a burden rather than a mechanism for growth and development,” he added.
The former governor maintained that Nigeria’s fiscal challenge is not simply about raising revenue but about making citizens wealthier so the economy can grow stronger. He said Nigerians are being asked to pay higher taxes without adequate explanation, clarity or visible public benefits.
Obi identified the empowerment of small and medium-sized enterprises as the foundation of sustainable economic growth, noting that thriving small businesses create jobs, increase incomes and naturally expand the tax base.
“You cannot tax your way out of poverty; you must produce your way out of it,” he said.
He also expressed concern over what he described as an unprecedented tax fraud controversy, alleging that a tax law currently in use is not the version passed by the National Assembly, with reports suggesting acknowledged discrepancies between what was approved and what was eventually gazetted.
Obi warned against celebrating rising government revenue while citizens become poorer, describing such outcomes as a failure of governance rather than success.
“There is no virtue in celebrating increased government revenue while the people grow poorer. Any tax system that impoverishes citizens violates the basic principles of good governance and sound fiscal policy,” he said.
