The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has expressed concern over low tax compliance among residents of the nation’s capital, warning that inadequate revenue generation could undermine ongoing infrastructure development.
Wike raised the alarm on Tuesday while inspecting key projects, including the Karsana estate access roads and the Dei-Dei to Life Camp road in Abuja.
The minister said the FCT administration was grappling with financial constraints, noting that allocations from the federation account were insufficient to meet basic obligations such as salary payments.
He stressed that improved internally generated revenue, particularly through tax compliance, had become critical to sustaining development efforts in the territory.
Wike, however, commended contractors handling various projects for the pace and quality of work recorded so far, attributing the progress to the renewed infrastructure drive under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
Despite recording about N262bn in tax revenue in 2024, the minister lamented what he described as a poor tax culture among residents, insisting that many expect government services without fulfilling their civic obligations.
“Nigerians want good infrastructure but don’t want to pay tax. They want everything free in this country,” Wike was quoted as saying during the inspection.
His comments, however, sparked mixed reactions, particularly on social media, where many Nigerians argued that citizens were already burdened by multiple indirect taxes, including Value Added Tax, without corresponding improvements in public services.
Critics pointed to persistent challenges such as unreliable electricity supply, inadequate healthcare, and poor road infrastructure as evidence of a disconnect between tax payments and service delivery.
Others, however, backed the minister’s position, noting that Nigeria’s low tax-to-GDP ratio remained a major structural challenge limiting the government’s capacity to fund development projects sustainably.
The debate highlights the growing tension between revenue generation efforts and public expectations for improved governance and service delivery in the FCT.
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