Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP)
in the 2023 elections, says the Nigeria–France tax memorandum of understanding
(MoU) must be transparent, as it has generated understandable public concern.
On December 10, the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS)
signed a MoU with France’s Direction Générale des Finances Publiques (DGFiP) on
the promotion of efficient tax administration.
Obi said international collaborations on tax administration,
revenue systems, and data management demand a “high level of openness” due to
their direct impact on public trust.
“It is therefore worrisome that an agreement of this
significance appears to have been concluded without the full terms being made
public, and without a clear effort to explain its objectives, scope, and
expected outcomes to Nigerians,” he said.
“Transparency is essential in matters that directly affect
public revenue and institutional credibility.
“That said, I am not opposed to engaging foreign expertise.
However, such engagements must be clearly justified, with a transparent
explanation of the specific gaps they are intended to fill, why those gaps
cannot be addressed locally, and, above all, the concrete benefits to
Nigerians.”
Obi further explained that disclosing the terms of the
engagements is especially important because Nigeria is not lacking in tax
expertise.
“The country has a strong pool of qualified tax
professionals, advisory firms, and globally recognised consultancies already
operating locally, with the capacity to support tax reform and modernisation,”
he said.
“In light of this, it is reasonable for Nigerians to
question why external partnerships are made a priority instead of strengthening
and leveraging existing local capacity. Sustainable reform should build
institutions from within.”
The former presidential candidate noted that the concerns
arise as Nigeria faces significant economic strain, with over 60 percent of
citizens living in poverty and youth unemployment widespread.
He said policy attention should focus on simplifying taxes,
closing revenue leakages, and using public resources prudently.
Obi added that any agreement lacking transparency, public
confidence, and measurable benefits risks eroding trust in government, so the
federal government should publish the MoU, explain its rationale, and outline
Nigeria’s benefits.
On Sunday, the FIRS said the MoU with DGFiP does not give
France access to Nigerian taxpayers’ data or systems.
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