Tell Nigerians the truth about our reforms, Shettima charges ministers, agency heads
…says tax reforms will unlock revenue potential comparable to global peers …urges officials to “sell the government” as Nigeria moves onto path of sustained growth Vice President Kashim Shettima on
...says tax reforms will unlock revenue potential comparable to global peers
...urges officials to “sell the government” as Nigeria moves onto path of sustained growth
Vice President Kashim Shettima on Wednesday night charged ministers, heads of ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), and senior government officials to go out and tell Nigerians the truth about the achievements of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, particularly the benefits and long-term potential of the government’s ongoing tax reforms.
Shettima said officials of the administration must actively engage citizens and counter misinformation about the reforms, stressing that the policies are designed to strengthen Nigeria’s economic foundations rather than impoverish the poor as critics claim.
Speaking on behalf of President Tinubu at an interfaith breaking of fast hosted by the President for members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) and heads of MDAs at the State House, Abuja, the Vice President said the political season was approaching and government officials must explain the administration’s policies clearly to the public.
“We are all political animals,” he said, urging those in government to take responsibility for communicating the administration’s achievements.
“We have to sell our government. The same people who shout hoarse that the tax reform is meant to further pulverise and pauperise the poor are far from the truth. But we have to go out and tell the truth to the people. We have to educate them. We have to mount the pulpits and sell our government to the Nigerian people”, he said.
Shettima illustrated the revenue potential of the reforms by comparing Nigeria’s tax performance with that of South Africa.
According to him, South Africa, with a population of about 60 million, less than a quarter of Nigeria’s estimated 247 million, generates the equivalent of about ₦60 trillion annually from personal income tax alone.
“Nigeria, with more than three times that population, generates a paltry ₦3 trillion,” he said, noting that the disparity highlights the enormous opportunity that effective tax reforms could unlock for national development.
The Vice President said the Tinubu administration inherited a fragile economy when it assumed office nearly three years ago but had since taken bold decisions that were beginning to yield positive results.
Quoting a letter written in 1793 by Abigail Adams to her son, John Quincy Adams, Shettima said leadership and character are often forged in difficult moments.
“It is not in the calm of life, on the ripples of a Pacific Ocean, that great characters are formed. The habits of a vigorous mind are formed contending with difficulties,” he said.
He recalled that when President Tinubu assumed office about 1,010 days ago, the Nigerian economy was in severe distress.
“Our foreign reserves were hovering around $3 billion, not enough to import fuel for a month,” he said, adding that the President had the courage to implement far-reaching reforms that have since stabilised the economy.
The Vice President praised the President’s leadership style, describing him as “a student and practitioner of power” who has shown the courage to take difficult decisions in the national interest.
He also commended the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), saying the President had given the apex bank full autonomy to discharge its responsibilities.
“Posterity will be kind to you,” Shettima told the CBN governor.
According to him, the reforms undertaken by the administration have helped Nigeria cross a critical threshold.
“Three years on, the economy has bounced back. We have crossed the Rubicon and we are on a path to sustained growth,” he said.
Shettima used the occasion to thank members of the Federal Executive Council and other senior government officials for supporting the administration through difficult policy decisions.
“In seasons of tough decisions and necessary reforms, you have chosen country over comfort. You have engaged with our agenda in the spirit of partnership, offered scrutiny without sabotage, and proved that democracy works best when institutions of government compete in the race to serve the people better”, he said.
He added that history would remember that the council and government officials helped steady the nation at a time when division and political tension could easily have been inflamed.
The Vice President also emphasised the importance of unity in governance, warning that nations collapse not necessarily because of hardship but because of growing distrust among citizens.
“Nations do not fracture because of hardship; nations fracture when suspicion becomes a national language, when the politics of ‘us and them’ becomes more persuasive than the promise of ‘we’,” he said.
He noted that the gathering reflected Nigeria’s diversity, with participants from different religious, ethnic and regional backgrounds united by a common commitment to national service.
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Describing Nigeria as the “greatest black nation on earth,” Shettima said the country’s growing population also underscores the need for effective governance and sustainable economic policies.
Nigeria currently has an estimated population of about 247 million and is projected to become the third most populous nation in the world by 2050.
Reflecting on the significance of the Ramadan fast and the Lenten season observed by Christians, the Vice President said the simple act of sharing food during the fast-breaking symbolised humility and service in leadership.
“This table is a lesson in perspective. It strips power of arrogance and graces leadership with humility,” he said.
He noted that the President shared the same simple meal served to others at the gathering, saying such moments remind leaders that true authority lies not in power but in faithful service to the people.
“Shedding arrogance and embracing humility reminds us that governance, like fasting, must be anchored in sincerity, sacrifice and compassion for those whose lives are lived far from comfort,” he added.
