Nigeria’s ongoing fiscal reforms have drawn commendation from a coalition of civic and economic advocacy groups, which say recent revenue gains signal a turning point in the country’s long-troubled public finance system.
In a statement issued on Thursday, Dr Clarus Nnaemeka, national president of the Coalition for Fiscal Justice, Economic Renewal and Public Accountability (COFJERPA), praised the leadership of the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) and its Executive Chairman, Zacch Adedeji, for the “bold and disciplined re-engineering of Nigeria’s revenue architecture”.
The coalition’s reaction follows the Federal Government’s disclosure that monthly revenue rose from N711 billion in May 2023 to N3.635 trillion by September 2025, alongside a broader increase in total collections from N6.41 trillion in 2021 to N28.79 trillion in 2025.
Nnaemeka said the figures, while ambitious, reflect the early fruits of structural reforms aligned with the economic vision of Bola Ahmed Tinubu under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
“For decades, Nigeria grappled with a narrow revenue base, systemic leakages and weak tax compliance. What we are witnessing today is a deliberate shift towards a more transparent, technology-driven and accountability-focused system that is gradually restoring confidence in public finance management,” he said.
Nnaemeka noted that the expansion of the tax net to over 19 million taxpayers, including the addition of more than 800,000 corporate entities, represents a significant milestone in formalising the economy and reducing reliance on volatile oil revenues.
According to the coalition, the real test of any fiscal reform lies not only in headline revenue figures but in its tangible impact on citizens’ lives. Nnaemeka argued that improved revenue mobilisation creates the fiscal space necessary for government to invest in critical sectors such as infrastructure, healthcare, education and social protection.
“When revenue improves in a transparent and accountable manner, it strengthens the government’s capacity to fund public goods. This translates, over time, into better roads, more functional hospitals, improved schools and targeted interventions for vulnerable populations,” the statement reads.
He added that increased revenue also enhances macroeconomic stability by reducing fiscal deficits and borrowing pressures, thereby helping to stabilise the currency and curb inflationary risks that disproportionately affect low-income households.
The coalition further commended the emphasis on fairness and efficiency in the reformed tax system, noting that simplifying processes and reducing distortions could encourage compliance while fostering a more business-friendly environment.
“A tax system perceived as fair is more likely to command voluntary compliance. This is critical for building a sustainable revenue culture where citizens see taxation not as a burden, but as a civic responsibility tied to visible national development,” Nnaemeka said.
However, the group cautioned that sustaining these gains would require consistency in policy implementation, robust oversight mechanisms and a clear commitment to ensuring that increased revenues are judiciously utilised.
“It is not enough to collect more; government must also spend better. Transparency in revenue utilisation will ultimately determine whether these reforms translate into enduring public trust.”
The coalition urged the NRS to deepen its engagement with citizens and businesses, strengthen enforcement against evasion, and continue leveraging digital tools to block leakages.
It maintained that while challenges remain, the trajectory of Nigeria’s revenue reforms offers a credible pathway towards fiscal resilience and inclusive growth.
“What is emerging is the foundation of a new fiscal contract between the state and its citizens. If sustained, it holds the promise of aligning national prosperity with the everyday realities of Nigerians,”the statement added.
