Experts to speak on Nigeria’s revenue challenges as NPO Reports holds national dialogue

NPO Reports, one of Nigeria’s leading online publications, has announced the date for this year’s edition of its Annual National Dialogue.

A statement by the Chief Executive Officer, S-OK Advisory and Media Limited, publishers of NPO Reports, Semiu Okanlawon, said the event with the theme: “Revenue Generation, Infrastructure Progress: Options in a Challenged Economy”, will hold on Tuesday, 26 November 2024 at the Nigerian National Merit Award House (Merit House) Maitama Abuja.

He said experts from the critical sectors of the economy, revenue generating agencies and policy analysts have been lined up to dissect issues relating to revenue generation and the challenges of infrastructure deficit in the country.

Speakers are expected to dissect issues on generating revenue to meet the huge challenges of infrastructure deficit in the critical sectors of the economy such as education health, security, roads, and others.

Prominent among those expected to speak at the event are the Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Zacch Adelabu Adedeji; former Postmaster General of the Federation, Ismail Adebayo Adewusi, who will be the chairman of the event.

Mr Adewusi, who is chair of Global West, was also commissioner for finance and later budget and economic planning in Lagos under the administration of then Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Also expected to speak at the event are a Senior Research Fellow of Political Science in Political and Governance Policy Department at the Nigerian Institute of Social and Economic Research (NISER), Ibadan, Hakeem Olatunji Tijani; Special Adviser to the President on Economic Matters, Tope Fasua; Chief Communication Officer, Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Femi Soneye and Idayat Hassan of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CISI).

Mr Okanlawon said the event is in furtherance of NPO Reports’ commitment to deepening conversations on issues that border on the welfare of Nigerians from the actions of the government.

“For instance, current administrations at all levels are confronted with serious issues of infrastructure decay. These are very ominously manifest in the critical sectors like Education, Health, Roads, Security and others. Funds are needed to fix these.

“However, the administrations are also faced with daunting challenges in getting the needed revenues. Insecurity has made oil revenues unpredictable with the government battling to shore up crude oil production.

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“The tax reforms efforts of the government are being met with stiff resistance causing the fears that the leakages of many decades and other factors causing revenue shortfalls may persist. What then are the ways out?” Mr Okanlawon said.

He said these and many more are the issues up for discussion as the event holds on Tuesday November 26th, 2024.

Speakers at the 2023 maiden edition of the programme spoke on campaign promises as accountability issues.

They called on political stakeholders to hold office holders accountable to the promises they make during electioneering.

NPO Reports, one of the early online publications in Nigeria, started as Nigeria Politics Online in April 2010.