Tax MoU: The Only Mistake France Made Was Codifying Our Requests for Assistance – Oyedele
The Chairman of the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee, Professor Taiwo Oyedele, has stated that the only error committed by France in the landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation and advancing the digital transformation of Nigeria’s revenue administration was converting Nigeria’s request for assistance into an official MoU.
Oyedele made this clarification while delivering a keynote address at the 2-day National Stakeholder Discourse on the theme ‘Enhancing Fiscal Efficiency and Revenue Growth under the Nigeria Tax Act, 2025’.
He explained, “When we initiated this process, we conducted a thorough study of over 100 countries, reviewing the reforms they had implemented. France was among the countries we engaged with. Instead of us travelling to them, they sent a delegation to Nigeria. They spent about seven days assisting us in our efforts.”
The clarification comes in the wake of controversy surrounding the MoU between Nigeria and France aimed at strengthening tax cooperation.
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The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and France’s Direction Générale des Finances Publiques (DGFIP) signed the MoU, focusing on bolstering bilateral cooperation and advancing the digital transformation of Nigeria’s revenue system.
According to the FIRS, the partnership will centre on improving compliance management, enhancing taxpayer services, leveraging data-driven enforcement, and facilitating the exchange of innovative ideas to create a resilient and forward-looking tax system.
However, the agreement has sparked public concern, with some alleging that it could lead to the sharing of sensitive taxpayer data with France.
On Sunday, the Northern Elders Forum called for the immediate termination of the MoU, warning that the agreement could undermine Nigeria’s economic sovereignty and national security. In an open letter addressed to the Federal Government, the Senate, and the House of Representatives, the forum described the MoU as a “dangerous tax data agreement” that could expose Nigeria’s sensitive economic data to foreign control.
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Responding to the concerns, Prof. Oyedele stated, “Of all the countries we studied, France is the most efficient in tax collection worldwide. They lead the OECD in this regard. When it comes to collecting taxes, they excel. The harmonisation we are aiming for has already been implemented by them, where all taxes are centrally collected, and their system is highly efficient.”
He continued, “In this context, the idea of connecting tax data to another authority is incomprehensible. Nigeria is a signatory to the international exchange of information agreements, which have clear protocols for sharing data – and this applies even to the data of a single taxpayer, let alone an entire country.”
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He urged caution in the discourse, stating, “It is important to question and interrogate government decisions, but we must avoid jumping to conclusions in a manner that could impede vital reforms.”
Sunday Michael Ogwu is a Nigerian journalist and editor of Pinnacle Daily. He is known for his work in business and economic reporting. He has held editorial roles in prominent Nigerian media outlets, where he has focused on economic policy, financial markets, and developmental issues affecting Nigeria and Africa more broadly.
