The Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, Taiwo Oyedele, has disclosed that he has received threats to his life due to his involvement in the implementation of Nigeria’s far-reaching tax reform agenda.

Oyedele made the revelation in Abuja while speaking at a governance colloquium organised to commemorate the 50th birthday of the Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination, Hajiya Hadiza Bala-Usman, on Tuesday.

Addressing participants at the event, Oyedele said the process of driving reforms, particularly those that challenge entrenched interests, demands uncommon courage, especially within a system that has historically resisted structural change.

“Reforms are hard, and tax reforms are even harder. You need courage. I receive threats simply for trying to fix a broken system,” he said.

He pointed out that deep-rooted mistrust in government institutions, weak tax compliance culture and limited public understanding of fiscal exchange remain major impediments to the successful implementation of the reforms.

Oyedele noted that Nigeria’s tax revenue performance is significantly lower than that of comparable countries, stressing that this reality makes comprehensive tax reforms unavoidable.

He called on Nigerians who understand and support the reform agenda to speak out publicly, warning that remaining silent allows opponents of the reforms to dominate the national conversation.

Describing public trust as the most serious challenge confronting the reform process, Oyedele said many Nigerians have misinterpreted the reforms, wrongly assuming that the government is introducing new taxes rather than streamlining existing ones.

“There is suddenly a national awareness, and people say the government has brought taxes all over the place, when in fact what we are doing is reducing the taxes they have been paying and harmonising them,” he explained.

He further stated that the execution of the reforms comes with substantial political, economic and reputational risks for those involved.

“You need the courage to push through. You need the courage to take risks, because it’s very risky,” he said.

Despite being subjected to online attacks and personal threats, Oyedele defended the reform strategy, arguing that past approaches to taxation amounted to temporary solutions that failed to address fundamental problems.

“What we have been doing all my adult life with the tax system was a pain reliever. It hasn’t taken us far. Now we’re doing the surgery. It will come with pain, but it is the only right thing to do,” he said.

Oyedele expressed optimism about Nigeria’s future, describing the current pace and depth of reforms as unprecedented and encouraging citizens to remain committed to the pursuit of long-term fiscal stability.

Meanwhile, the federal government officially commenced enforcement of the new tax regime on January 1, 2026.

The new regime is anchored on four major legislations, namely the Nigeria Tax Act 2025, the Nigeria Tax Administration Act 2025, the Nigeria Revenue Service Establishment Act 2025 and the Joint Revenue Board Establishment Act 2025.