Inside Citizen Movements Behind Nigeria’s Latest Tax Reforms

Oxfam in Nigeria has concluded two central governance and climate justice programmes after five years of implementation, with civil society groups crediting the initiatives for helping to shape Nigeria’s new tax laws and strengthen citizen accountability across several states.

The programmes Power of Voices, Fair for All, and African Activists for Climate Justice were formally closed in Abuja, where Oxfam Country Director John Makina described the effort as a collective push to place communities at the centre of governance and economic decision-making.

He said the projects had shown that, when supported, local voices can influence reforms in tax justice, climate action, and public accountability.

Makina highlighted several achievements, including the cultivation of 15,500 seedlings through community nurseries and the distribution of 3,500 clean cooking stoves in Bauchi State.

He added that 256 volunteers, including persons with disabilities, were trained in briquette production and other nature-based solutions.

According to him, women beneficiaries earned between 150,000 and 300,000 naira from climate-friendly enterprises.

He noted that Oxfam’s work also contributed to the development of new climate legislation and the unlocking of 15.5 billion naira in local climate finance.

Through media platforms such as Follow the Money, the programmes reached more than ten million Nigerians while supporting broader civic participation through youth clubs, FOI coalitions, and improved security engagement with the police.

Partners at the event placed strong emphasis on the governance impact, particularly the role of sustained advocacy in the passage of Nigeria’s new tax laws.

Auwal Rafsanjani, Executive Director of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, said the reforms were among the clearest examples of how coordinated civic pressure can influence policy at the federal and state levels.

He explained that the programmes strengthened tax justice movements, expanded platforms for state-level advocacy, and improved compliance with beneficial ownership rules in the extractive sector.

This, he said, helped shape four newly approved tax laws and encouraged government approval of more than one billion dollars for the upgrade of major ports.

Rafsanjani warned that, although donor funding had ended, communities must now protect the gains. He argued that inequalities, corruption, and climate pressures remain widespread and require continued vigilance.

Oxfam Programme Manager Henry Ushie said the project helped communities understand and demand the statutory 3% that companies are required to allocate to them.

He added that citizens were also empowered to track how these funds were deployed in their communities, ensuring transparency and accountability.

Makina expressed appreciation to partners, including CISLAC, Connected Development, and BudgIT, as well as the Government of the Netherlands, for funding the work.