President Bola Tinubu’s tax reform chief, Taiwo Oyedele, has declared that all Nigerians, including women engaged in prostitution, popularly called “runs,” and individuals involved in illegal dealings, will be required to pay tax once the new reforms take effect in January 2026.
Oyedele, who heads the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policies and Reforms, made this known while addressing members of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, City of David parish in Lagos, over the weekend.
He explained that the new law, signed by President Tinubu in June, mandates taxation on all income without distinguishing whether the source is lawful or illicit.
“In the eyes of the law, income is income,” he said.
“If somebody is doing run girls, they go and look for men to sleep with; you know that’s a service. They will pay tax on it.”
According to Oyedele, the reforms were designed to ensure that every service or transaction rendered for money, regardless of legality, falls under the taxable bracket.
He emphasised that the law itself does not have the mechanism to separate legitimate earnings from illegitimate ones, hence all income is deemed taxable.
The reforms, he noted, are part of efforts to widen Nigeria’s tax base and improve government revenue generation ahead of the 2026 fiscal year.
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