By Jimoh Babatunde

The Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, Taiwo Oyedele, has expressed confidence that Nigeria’s ongoing tax reform efforts will succeed through sustained engagement with critical industry stakeholders, particularly the National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA).

Oyedele, who spoke in Lagos  while receiving a delegation from NANTA led by its President, Yinka Folami, stressed that continuous dialogue, education, and collaboration with structured trade associations are essential to achieving lasting reforms within the country’s tax system.

According to him, engaging influential industry bodies such as NANTA helps bridge information gaps and deepen understanding across the tax ecosystem.

“Our committee has met with several multi-layered organisations, including airlines. We were not fully aware of the depth and strategic role of your association as a critical solution driver in the tax reform process. From what we have done today, opening another frontier of understanding and bridging information gaps, I am optimistic that our tax reforms will be successful,” Oyedele said.

He advised NANTA’s over 3,500 members to ensure proper documentation of account turnover and banking records to avoid tax liabilities arising from discrepancies. Proper record-keeping, he warned, is essential to preventing unnecessary tax burdens.

Oyedele also assured the association of continued engagement to clarify grey areas within the downstream aviation tax framework. He added that subject to his schedule, he would honour NANTA’s invitation to attend its 50th Anniversary and Annual General Meeting scheduled for April in Ibadan, describing the event as another strategic opportunity for engagement.

Earlier, Folami said NANTA members are concerned about multiple taxation within the travel trade sector. He called for clearer interpretation of levies and charges embedded in airline tickets, noting that such costs are often attributed to travel professionals and, in some cases, subjected to double taxation.

While reaffirming the association’s support for government tax policies and national development initiatives, Folami emphasised the need for clarity on tax obligations.

 “We are in support of government tax policies and have consistently championed Nigeria-centric initiatives to drive reforms in the downstream aviation sector. Our presence here underscores our commitment to building a knowledge-based and sustainable relationship with government, especially on tax reforms and implementation,” he said.

The courtesy visit evolved into an extensive tax policy review session attended by members of NANTA’s Board of Trustees and National Executive Council.