The Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN) has lauded resolution by the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) for government to eliminate illegal roadblocks and harmonise levies on agricultural produce transportation across the country.
President, Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN), Innocent Ohagwa, yesterday said NGF’s resolution, which follows a detailed briefing by the National Security Adviser and key ministers on the implications of checkpoint proliferation and unregulated taxation.
He said the move is a step in the right direction towards improving the food supply chain and addressing food inflation—reported at 21.14 per cent in May 2025, an increase of 2.19 per cent compared to the previous month.
He said: “CITN commends the NGF for recognising the role that fiscal coordination and administrative streamlining play in achieving national development objectives. It is well established that the widespread imposition of illegal levies and multiple taxes on agricultural transportation has disrupted supply chains and adversely impacted food affordability across the nation”.
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Ohagwa said the decision, if uniformly implemented across all states, will not only improve food availability but also enhance public trust, reduce cost-push inflation, and support the livelihoods of millions of Nigerians.
“We urge His Excellencies, the state governors to closely monitor their local government Chairmen and the Chairmen of their States Internal Revenue Service to ensure the full implementation of this directive. The Executive Secretary of the Joint Tax Board should liaise with the Inspector-General of Police to implement this directive,” he said.
He explained that the Governors on their own part too, should ensure the implementation of statutory allocation of the required percentage of the State Internally Generated Revenue to their Local Government Councils in order to cushion the funding pressure on the Local Government Councils
“As the professional body statutorily empowered to regulate tax practice in Nigeria, CITN has long advocated against multiplicity of taxes and unregulated collection practices. These practices increase compliance burdens, discourage investment, and ultimately result in revenue losses for the government,” he said.
“CITN calls on all tiers of government to continuously implement people-centred reforms that will improve the standard of living, reduce the cost of doing business, and foster inclusive economic growth,” he added.