Peter Obi urges FG to publish Nigeria–France tax pact

 

Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, has called on the Federal Government to make public the memorandum of understanding (MoU) on tax administration signed between Nigeria and France, saying the agreement has raised legitimate public concerns.

The MoU, executed on December 10 between the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and France’s Direction Générale des Finances Publiques (DGFiP), is aimed at promoting efficient tax administration and cooperation.

Obi said international collaborations involving tax administration, revenue systems and data management require a high degree of openness because of their direct implications for public trust and institutional credibility.

He noted that it was troubling that an agreement of such importance appeared to have been concluded without the full terms being disclosed or a clear effort made to explain its objectives, scope and expected benefits to Nigerians.

According to him, transparency is critical in matters that directly affect public revenue and governance, stressing that while he is not opposed to engaging foreign expertise, such engagements must be clearly justified.

Obi said Nigerians deserve a transparent explanation of the specific gaps the partnership is meant to address, why those gaps cannot be handled locally and, most importantly, the concrete benefits to the country.

He added that the call for disclosure is necessary given that Nigeria is not short of tax expertise, pointing out that the country has a strong pool of qualified tax professionals, advisory firms and globally recognised consultancies already operating locally.

“In light of this, it is reasonable for Nigerians to question why external partnerships are prioritised instead of strengthening and leveraging existing local capacity,” he said, adding that sustainable reforms should focus on building institutions from within.

The former Anambra State governor also linked the concerns to Nigeria’s current economic challenges, noting that with over 60 per cent of citizens living in poverty and widespread youth unemployment, policy attention should be on simplifying taxes, blocking revenue leakages and using public resources prudently.

He warned that any agreement lacking transparency, public confidence and measurable benefits risks further eroding trust in government, urging the Federal Government to publish the MoU, clearly explain its rationale and outline Nigeria’s expected gains.

The FIRS has, however, maintained that the MoU with the French tax