Aderonke Atoyebi Urges African Leaders to Explain How Tax Revenues Are Spent
The Technical Assistant to the Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) on Broadcast Media, Arabinrin Aderonke Atoyebi, has called on African governments to become more transparent about how tax revenues are used. Speaking at the 2025 Annual Congress of the African Tax Research Network (ATRN), she stressed that citizens have a right to know where their money goes.
Atoyebi delivered her remarks while speaking on “The Impact of Communication on Taxation in Africa.” The three-day event, themed “Contemporary Taxation Issues in Africa: Shaping the Continent’s Fiscal Space – Past, Present, and Future,” gathered experts, policymakers, and academics to discuss how to reform tax systems across the continent to strengthen fiscal sustainability and public trust.
“Citizens need to know why they are paying taxes, where the money goes, and the projects their contributions support,” Atoyebi said. “Being present, answering questions, and engaging directly with taxpayers ensures they see themselves as partners in development.” She argued that governments’ communication strategies directly influence whether people willingly comply with tax obligations.
Highlighting Nigeria’s recent tax reforms, Atoyebi noted that the FIRS has been simplifying compliance through digital platforms and expanding outreach to small businesses. However, she warned that reforms alone will not succeed without clear, transparent communication. She also underscored the need for African countries to collaborate and share strategies to make taxation fairer and more efficient.
“Technology allows us to reach more people efficiently, from online tax education programmes to streamlined digital filings,” she added. The ATRN Congress remains a flagship platform for researchers to present findings to decision-makers in ministries of finance, tax administrations, civil society organisations, and academic institutions, fostering dialogue on the future of taxation in Africa.
source: punch