The Federal Government has rolled out a new tax collection framework aimed at widening the nation’s revenue net to capture small and micro-scale enterprises, while outlawing the controversial use of checkpoints for tax enforcement.
The initiative, known as the Presumptive Tax Framework, is designed to simplify tax compliance for traders, artisans and other operators within the informal sector. The announcement was conveyed through an official statement issued by the Federal Ministry of Finance on Wednesday.
Unveiled at an inauguration ceremony in Abuja on Tuesday, the new regime underscores the government’s renewed fiscal strategy of broadening the tax base rather than imposing higher tax rates.
Executive Secretary of the Joint Revenue Board (JRB), Mr Olusegun Adesokan, said the framework introduces clear guardrails to curb excesses in revenue collection. He stressed that the practice of mounting roadblocks or checkpoints for the purpose of collecting taxes has been expressly prohibited under the new policy.
According to him, the reform seeks to eliminate arbitrary collections and restore order and professionalism to tax administration at the grassroots level.
Minister of Finance, Mr Wale Edun, described the presumptive tax system as a pragmatic response to the longstanding challenges faced by small businesses in navigating complex tax structures.
He explained that the objective is not to impose additional burdens on micro and small enterprises but to create a fair, transparent and predictable compliance environment.
“Our fiscal strategy is anchored on expanding the tax base rather than increasing tax rates. Inclusion drives sustainability,” the minister said.
