— Says policy contradicts global efforts to combat internet fraud, cybercrime
By Johnbosco Agbakwuru
Abuja — A Civil Society Organization, under the umbrella of the Civil Society Organisations on Community Advancement and Humanitarian Empowerment Initiative (CSCHEI), has faulted the Federal Government’s new tax policy requiring sex workers and individuals engaged in illicit activities to pay taxes.
CSCHEI, a UN-recognized platform supervising and promoting CSOs, Community-Based Organizations (CBOs), and NGOs within Nigeria’s socio-economic development space, said the policy contradicts global efforts to fight cybercrime and internet fraud.
The criticism follows recent remarks by Taiwo Oyedele, Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, who explained that the tax reforms—set to take effect in January 2026—would mandate all Nigerians, including sex workers and those engaged in illicit transactions, to pay taxes, since “the law does not distinguish between legitimate and illegitimate income.”
In a statement issued Tuesday in Abuja, CSCHEI’s Director-General, Kunle Yusuff, strongly opposed the move, arguing that it could undermine the fight against crime.
“Instead of encouraging tax payments from those engaged in illicit activities, the government should focus on shaping the minds of Nigerians positively and promoting digital economy opportunities that foster legitimate entrepreneurship,” Yusuff said.
He urged the tax reform committee to collaborate with the Ministry of Digital Economy to develop programs that steer Nigerian youths away from internet fraud and towards lawful enterprises.
The organization commended the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for its recent partnerships with CSOs on anti-corruption advocacy and awareness programs targeting students in tertiary institutions, aimed at preventing internet fraud.
“We encourage the EFCC to further enhance its approach by adopting a proactive corruption-prevention mechanism, rather than relying on reactive measures that often prove costly and less effective,” CSCHEI added.
The group further directed its institutional members across 466 out of Nigeria’s 774 local governments to integrate “Corruption Enlightenment Advocacy” into their systems in partnership with local council chairmen. It said the campaign would also be extended to senior secondary schools to equip students with knowledge and values to resist corruption.
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