Arewa Forum Opposes Proposed VAT Increase, Submits Recommendations to National Assembly

The Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, has rejected proposals to raise Nigeria’s Value Added Tax, VAT, warning of potential economic strain on citizens and businesses.  

In a submission to the National Assembly, the northern advocacy group outlined its concerns over the Executive Tax Reforms Bills, which seek to overhaul the country’s tax system. The ACF, however, stressed that the implications of such reforms extend beyond the North and would affect the nation as a whole.  

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Professor Tukur Muhammad-Baba, the group’s National Publicity Secretary, stated that rather than increasing VAT, the government should focus on improving tax collection efficiency, formalizing the informal sector, and expanding the tax base by encouraging private sector investment.  

The forum has called on stakeholders and the public to engage actively in the National Assembly’s public hearings on the proposed tax changes.