The Digest:
Former presidential candidate Peter Obi has urged the Federal Government to publicly release the full details of a recent tax administration Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with France, citing a critical need for transparency and public trust. Obi stressed that such international agreements, which impact national revenue systems, must be conducted with openness and clear justification for engaging foreign expertise over local capacity.
Key Points:
- The FIRS signed an MoU with France’s DGFiP on December 10 to promote efficient tax administration.
- Obi stated that agreements of this significance require a “high level of openness.”
- He expressed concern that the terms have not been made fully public or explained to Nigerians.
- Obi emphasized that Nigeria possesses strong local tax professionals and consultancies.
- He questioned the priority of external partnerships without first leveraging domestic expertise.
- The call comes amid widespread economic strain and poverty in the country.
- FIRS previously stated that the MoU does not grant France access to Nigerian taxpayer data.
Sources: The Cable, Vanguard
