By Onyeanya Ebere
The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) is set to advocate for the inclusion of tax education in both primary and secondary school curricula across Nigeria.
The Executive Chairman of FIRS, Dr. Zacch Adedeji, made this known on Tuesday in Abuja during the public presentation of the book “Taxation: Essential Knowledge for Nigerian Children”, held as part of the 2025 Children’s Day celebrations.
He emphasized the importance of sensitizing the younger generation on tax compliance and civic responsibility.
Represented by his Special Assistant on Research and Statistics, Dr. Aisha Mahmoud Hamman, Adedeji expressed concern over Nigeria’s low tax compliance rate, revealing that less than 19 percent of citizens pay taxes, according to studies conducted by the agency.
He described the figure as abysmally low when compared to other African countries like Egypt and South Africa.
“We have given our utmost support to this book because our studies have shown that tax compliance is positively correlated with tax education,” he stated. “When children are educated early, they grow into responsible citizens who understand and fulfill their civic duties.”
Adedeji further explained that it is easier to instill tax-compliant behavior in children than to reform adults who have evaded taxes for years. “When you raise tax-compliant children, you also raise citizens who will hold government accountable,” he added.
Looking ahead, he noted, “If taxation is introduced as a subject at the primary and secondary school levels, students will already understand the concept by the time they reach university. It shouldn’t only be accounting students who know about taxation.”
Former FIRS Executive Chairman, Mrs. Ifueko Omoigui-Okauru, also attended the event and lauded the initiative.
She emphasized the need for greater transparency and accountability in the collection and use of tax revenues in the country.
Arabinrin Aderonke Atoyebi, who co-authored the book with Ejiura Blessing Haruna, described the publication as a bold step toward introducing Nigerian children to the fundamentals of taxation, aimed at fostering early financial literacy and civic engagement.
Atoyebi, who serves as Technical Adviser on Broadcast Media to the FIRS Chairman, revealed that over 50,000 copies of the book have been printed and will be distributed free of charge to schools, libraries, and universities across the country’s six geopolitical zones.
