Aminu Imam
Executive Chairman of ATAR Communications Nigeria Limited, owners of Liberty TVR, Alhaji (Dr.) Ahmed Tijjani Ramalan, has called for intensified public enlightenment on Nigeria’s new tax reform laws, particularly through local-language broadcasts across the northern zones.
Ramalan made the call yesterday while speaking with journalists in Abuja, noting that widespread misunderstanding of the new tax laws—especially in Northern Nigeria—has fuelled misinformation, misrepresentation, and public suspicion about the government’s intentions.
According to him, the absence of clear, sustained sensitisation has left many Nigerians, including educated citizens, confused about how the tax reforms will affect their earnings, when they will take effect, and who they apply to.
He said the situation has been worsened by alleged discrepancies between the version of the tax Bill passed by the National Assembly and the text published in the official gazette, further deepening public uncertainty. “The Federal Government’s intention regarding low-income earners is actually well-meaning. However, the confusion and misinformation surrounding the law are casting a shadow over its real objectives”, Ramalan stated.
He noted that many residents across the three northern geopolitical zones remain largely unaware of the details of the tax reforms, while social media platforms are awash with conflicting interpretations of the law. “Misinformation about the tax laws is spreading faster than accurate explanations of their provisions and benefits. Till this moment, many Nigerians – both literate and illiterate – do not really know what to believe”, he stressed.
Ramalan attributed the situation partly to the marginalisation of indigenous broadcast media in the North, as well as inadequate public engagement and slow-paced sensitisation efforts ahead of the law’s implementation, particularly in major Nigerian languages.
He urged the Federal Ministry of Information and other relevant agencies to urgently scale up awareness campaigns nationwide, using local languages to ensure broader understanding of the reforms.
“This is important to help Nigerians understand, in their own languages, the government’s good intentions—especially towards low-income earners—and to curb the spread of misinformation.Many people still do not know what the law entails or how it applies to them”, he asserted.
The media executive also noted that several economic reforms introduced by President Bola Tinubu’s administration have begun to yield positive results, stressing that these gains must be effectively communicated to the public.
He called on relevant government agencies to properly package and showcase the outcomes of the reforms through television and radio stations across all six geo-political zones, using local languages to enhance public trust and understanding.
