Only 19% of Nigerians pay taxes – FIRS Chairman Adedeji

The Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Zacch Adedeji, has disclosed that just 19% of Nigerians pay taxes, based on multiple studies conducted by the agency.

He revealed this on Tuesday at a book launch Adedeji, represented by his Special Adviser on Research and Statistics, Aisha Mahmoud, said the book—authored by Aderonke Atoyebi and Ejura Haruna—was developed to teach Nigerian children the importance of tax compliance from an early age.

He noted that tax compliance is strongly linked to tax education. “When children are educated, they grow into responsible citizens who pay their taxes and do what is right,” he said. Some studies show tax compliance at 19%, while others suggest it could be as low as 10–15%, he added.

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Calling the current compliance rate “decimally low” even by African standards, Adedeji stressed the need to promote tax education among young people. He said instilling tax awareness early is more effective than trying to change the mindset of tax-evading adults.

He further emphasized that teaching children about taxation from primary and secondary levels will help create a more responsible, tax-compliant society that demands greater accountability in public spending.

“It’s not just accounting students who should understand taxes—many people are unaware, which is why they avoid paying,” he said, urging broader inclusion of tax education in school curricula.