By Hassan Ibrahim The Tax Club at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, organized a symposium for tax students across the Northern region, aimed...
By Hassan Ibrahim
The Tax Club at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, organized a symposium for tax students across the Northern region, aimed at enhancing their skills in taxation.
The first edition of the Northern Tax Symposium was held on Saturday at the Center of Excellence Auditorium, Ahmadu Bello University, Samaru main campus, Zaria.
In his lead paper presentation, Dr. Mohammed Lawal, Director of Corporate Service Revenue Mobilization (Kaduna State Internal Revenue Service), spoke on the topic "Taxation and the Informal Economy." He described the informal economy, also known as the shadow or underground economy, as comprising sources of income, businesses, and economic activities that are not registered or regulated by the government, hardly keep any records, or maintain a complete set of accounts, and therefore often go untaxed.
He added that the informal sector of the economy is often hard to reach and hard to tax due to several reasons such as low transaction values, invisibility, lack of regulation, and lack of registration.
"According to the World Bank, in 2021, about 80.4% of employment in Nigeria is in the Informal Sector, leaving only 10% in the formal sector and 9.6% in households," he said.
Dr. Lawal's paper highlighted the challenges, opportunities, and potentials associated with taxing the informal economy. Understanding these key aspects is crucial for creating effective tax policies and administration systems. The implications of this presentation suggest the need for policy reforms, capacity building for tax administrators, and innovative digital tax solutions to address the cost and complexities of informal sector taxation. By aligning policies with practical insights, Nigeria can improve tax compliance and revenue generation from the informal sector.
Earlier in his opening remarks, the President of the Tax Club, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Ahmadu Qoyum Biodun, said, "The theme for this symposium is ‘Navigating Nigeria’s Economic Horizon: Fiscal Policy, Tax Reforms and Sustainable Development,’ a theme carefully selected to reflect the current situation of Nigerian polity in taxation within and beyond the nation. Sub-topics have been selected from the theme to narrow down the scope of discussions.
"I am overwhelmed and humbled by the caliber of people who have graced this occasion from across Nigeria and abroad. Your presence here today has, in no small measure, added glamour and prestige to this August assembly of tax enthusiasts who have converged to make changes and propagations about the taxation narrative, particularly in Northern Nigeria," he said.
He further mentioned that “Taxation and the Informal Economy” as one of the subtopics was selected to discuss a critical apparent issue within Northern Nigeria, especially to review the Presumptive Tax Regulation in retrospect, almost a decade after the regulation was not signed by the then Minister of Finance. Other critical topics capable of making a turning point in the realm of tax practice in Nigeria have also been selected. "We hope that at the end of this symposium, all the ideas shared will be collated and forwarded to the appropriate authorities."
He also appreciated the pillars of the Tax Club who have, from the inception of the club, dedicated unwavering support towards its progress.
Tax experts and officers from Kaduna, Kano, and Plateau attended the symposium, covering topics such as "Tax Dispute Resolution in Nigeria: Options and Strategy" by Barrister Chukwuemeka Eze, Chairman of the Tax Appeal Tribunal South East, and "The Future of Taxation in Nigeria: How Youths Can Drive Tax Reforms and Economic Growth" by Ruth Abiola Adimula, Managing Partner at Abiola Adimula & Co, through visual presentation.
The club also organized an essay writing competition, providing a platform to build the practice of taxation, induction of new members of the club, presentation of awards of honor to lead presenters, certificates of service to members, and other presentations.
The symposium aimed to equip tax students with the knowledge and skills necessary to overcome challenges in tax administration and contribute to Nigeria's growth and prosperity. Participants from various states in the Northwest region attended the symposium.
In conclusion, the Tax Club at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, is a student professional body established under the university in collaboration with the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN). Its primary objective is to inundate its student members with requisite knowledge on taxation and groom them in emerging areas within the field. It also aims to instill a tax culture in members, with the inclusion of members of the gallery at different fora provided by the club.
Over the years, the club has successfully conducted over 100 virtual Tax in Action Sessions and over 30 Technical Physical Sessions. The club has won several competitions, including the impromptu tax quiz competition organized by the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) during the Catch Them Young program at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in 2022. Similarly, the club has successfully empowered its members through various capacity-building programs for self-development.
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