By Praise Chinecherem
Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra state has called for aggressive enlightenment of the citizenry for effective implementation of the new National Tax Reform slated to take effect January next year.
The governor stated this during the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) and Pricewaterhouse Coopers, PWC, Business Enlightenment Session On National Tax Reform.
The session organised in collaboration with the office of the Special Adviser to the Anambra State Governor on Trade and Market and Ministry of Industry was themed, “The Tax Reforms and Their Implications For Anambra Businesses and Individuals.”
Soludo, represented by Commissioner for Industry, Mr Christian Udechukwu described the reform as significant change which required lots of work, systems, structures and processes to make it effective.
He commended the proactiveness of the organizers ahead of the law which he said would affect small, medium and large scale businesses.
He said, “Several systems, structures and processes must be put in place for the reform to be effective.
“The challenge is that the absence of these structures and processes may not limit the application of the law from January 1.
“We really need to work hard. This is the first phase, we’re going to have further series to ensure everything is in place for seemless take off of the reform.
“We also need to make sure our people are not just protected by being educated for seemless compliance, but that the implementation comes at very minimum cost, and that the reform is embraced without fear or prejudice.
Earlier, Chairman of Keystone Bank and Chairman MAN South East Zone, Lady Ada Chukwudozie said the business session was to enlighten participants as a business community, manufacturers, traders, professionals and academics.
According to her, the tax reform is not just a fiscal tool but a development partnership between government and citizens.
Admitting initial concerns when details of the law unfolded considering traders’ susceptibility to its pitfalls, Chukwudozie said the meeting was to ensure they were not caught unawares, but equipped to operate confidently and legitimately in the new environment.
She said, “Your daily enterprise is the lifeblood of our economy and your presence today shows that we are united in seeking understanding and partnership, not confrontation, in this era of reform.
“It also reaffirms that the private sector remains a willing partner in shaping policies that work — policies that encourage productivity, competitiveness, and compliance.
“It’s also a platform where we sit together to share ideas and insights on the economic issues that influence or disrupt how we live, work, and do business.
“We are here to understand how this reform will affect us as individuals and as business owners, what new obligations it introduces, and how we can position ourselves to remain compliant while protecting and expanding our enterprises.
“We’re also here to move business owners from confusion to clarity, from compliance to competitiveness, and from tax obligation to shared prosperity.
“I must confess that I personally felt very concerned when the details of this law began to unfold — because I know that many of our business men and women would be most susceptible to its pitfalls.
“Not out of negligence, but because many have not fully imbibed the culture of documentation, record-keeping, and transparent accounting.
“This new tax framework is built on evidence and justification. It follows the money — every significant transfer, every large transaction. Once certain volumes of funds move, the law demands a clear paper trail.
“That is why this enlightenment is so important: so that our people are not caught unawares, but are equipped to operate confidently and legitimately in this new environment.”
The MAN boss highlighted enormous benefits of the law to the State to include increase in federal allocation, IGR boost and tool for development.
She said, “When our enterprises are properly registered with state addresses, and when transactions are correctly recorded and taxes remitted through the right channels, the State’s share of federal allocation increases.
“Every registered business, every compliant taxpayer, strengthens the State’s Internally Generated Revenue and, by extension, enables better infrastructure, stronger markets, improved roads, and quality public services — all funded by the productivity of Anambra people.
“In essence, when we pay right, we build right. Each of us becomes a co-architect of the State’s development. Tax reform, therefore, is not just a fiscal tool — it is a development partnership between government and citizens.”
Tax and Regulatory Service Leader for PWC Nigeria, Mr Chijioke Uwaegbute, and PWC Partner and Africa Family Business Leader, Mrs Esiri Agbeyi, in their presentation argued that tax payment remained an obligation everyone must comply with.
They provided insights on how the tax reform would affect family businesses as well as how they could adapt sustainably.
Also speaking, Special Adviser to the Governor on Trade and Market, Chief Evarist Uba, and Chairman of ASMATA, Chief Humphrey Anuna, noted that Nigerians do not have any option as regards to the new tax policy.
According to them, the engagement was an eye-opening for traders in the state to appreciate what is ahead them and how to manage it.
The event attracted government functionaries and stakeholders in the business community, including manufacturers, traders, artisans, transporters, market and business leaders
