The Presidency on Tuesday held a grassroots sensitisation drive across key areas of Ibadan to educate citizens on the recently signed Tax Reform Bills and how the new policies directly impact their daily lives.
Organised by the Presidential Community Engagement Office (South-West), in collaboration with the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), the exercise was designed to explain the practical benefits of the reforms to traders, transport workers, artisans, students, and small business owners.
The sensitisation, themed “Irọrun fún Mẹkúnù” (Relief for the Common Man), moved through Ojoo Market, Ojo Bus Terminal, Sango, and ended at Mokola Roundabout. Along the route, citizens engaged with awareness teams carrying placards with messages such as “Zero Tax on Food and Medical Supplies”, “Easy and Faster Tax Payment”, and “More Jobs, Stronger Economy.”
The outreach used public address systems, mobile banners, and materials in English, Yoruba, and Pidgin to simplify government policy and rebuild trust in the tax system.
Key messages shared with the public included the exemption of low-income earners from personal income tax, reduced burden on small businesses, simplified payment systems, and increased revenue autonomy for state and local governments creating room for more responsive governance, infrastructure upgrades, and local investment in services that matter to citizens.
Addressing journalists and residents during the engagement, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement (South-West), Moremi Ojudu, said the campaign was aimed at making government policy more relatable and accessible to the people.
“The tax reform is here to make life easier for every Nigerian. It affects market women, mechanics, students, commercial drivers, and everyone who earns a living,” she said.
“Traders who make ₦1 million or less in a year will no longer be required to pay income tax. This reform is targeted at helping the middle class and the less privileged. It lifts pressure off those who have struggled under multiple taxes, and gives small businesses space to grow.”
She further reassured the crowd, stating:
“This is part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. He wants people at the grassroots to know that this government means well and is working to improve infrastructure, education, the economy, and your daily lives.
“We are not just here to talk. We are also here to listen,” she said.
“We are building a system that adapts, that puts citizens first. Tax no longer needs to be a source of fear. It is now a tool for empowerment and development.”
The sensitisation drive is part of a broader national effort to make the Renewed Hope Agenda a lived reality for citizens, especially those in underserved communities.
