Taxation Without Accountability: Why Nigerians are Angry

Across the world, paying taxes is seen as a civic responsibility because citizens can clearly see the benefits. Roads are good, security is effective, electricity is stable, water is available, healthcare works, and governance is responsive. In such societies, taxes are not forced; they are willingly paid because people trust the system. In Nigeria, unfortunately, the story is very different.

In most countries outside Nigeria, taxes are properly accounted for. Governments invest tax revenues in public infrastructure and services that directly improve the lives of citizens. Good roads reduce travel time, stable electricity boosts businesses, reliable internet supports innovation, and strong security protects lives and property. Citizens in these countries enjoy the results of their contributions, and governance feels like a partnership between the people and the state.

Here,  however, taxes are imposed without visible returns. Roads remain dilapidated, power supply is unreliable, clean water is scarce, and public institutions barely function. Despite paying taxes, citizens are left to struggle on their own.

One of the most painful realities is insecurity. Kidnapping, banditry, armed robbery, and other social vices have become part of daily life. Many Nigerians live in fear, unsure of their safety while travelling or even in their own homes. Good governance should prioritize the protection of lives and property. Yet, despite the taxes collected, insecurity continues to worsen, leaving citizens to question the purpose of these payments.

Despite these harsh realities, new tax policies continue to emerge. From January 2026, every citizen is expected to pay taxes, regardless of income level or living conditions. This raises serious questions. How can people be compelled to pay taxes when basic amenities are absent? How can taxation be justified when the government has failed to meet its responsibilities to the people?

For many Nigerians, taxation now feels less like civic duty and more like punishment. As always, the poor masses suffer the most. The poor continue to get poorer, while the rich grow richer. Small business owners struggle under multiple levies, workers earn wages that barely sustain them, and unemployment remains high.

Yet, it is the poor and middle class that feel the full weight of tax enforcement. Meanwhile, many wealthy individuals and politically connected persons evade taxes without consequences. This imbalance deepens inequality and fuels frustration across the country.

Nigerians are not demanding luxury lifestyles. They are asking for the basics: good roads, stable electricity, clean water, quality healthcare, functional schools, reliable internet, and security of lives and property.

These are the same essentials that taxes provide in other countries. Sadly, in Nigeria, taxes do not translate into visible development, making citizens lose trust in the system. Policies are often introduced without consultation or transparency. There is little communication, poor accountability, and a growing disconnect between the government and the governed. When trust is absent, compliance becomes difficult. People no longer see taxation as a contribution to national growth, but as another burden imposed on already suffering citizens. If taxation must work in Nigeria, accountability must come first. Governance must improve. Leaders must stop treating citizens as mere sources of revenue and start seeing them as partners in nation-building. Every naira collected should be traceable. Every project should be verifiable. Every leader must be accountable to the people they serve.

The time has come for Nigerians to speak up and demand better. Citizens must insist on transparency, demand audited reports, question policies that deepen hardship, and refuse to remain silent in the face of injustice. Civil society, the media, professionals, youths, and community leaders must rise to hold those in power accountable. Taxation without accountability is exploitation. A nation cannot tax its way to development while neglecting the welfare of its people. If the government truly wants compliance, it must first deliver governance.

Until then, the message must remain loud and clear: Fix the system first, then ask the people to pay.

-Editor, Dukasammy Inspire

What do you think about taxation and governance in Nigeria? Share your thoughts in the comments.?