By David Onwuchekwa
Since taking office, Governor Charles Soludo has rolled out an ambitious tax reform agenda in Anambra State, aimed at boosting internally generated revenue and financing his development blueprint.
But as with most things in governance, the devil is in the details and for many ordinary Anambrarians, those details have translated into economic pressure.
For example, the market traders. A consolidated levy of ₦14,200 per annum has been introduced in major markets across Anamabra. It covers everything from stallage rent to sanitation and biometric registration.
That may sound reasonable on paper, but for small-scale traders operating on thin margins in an economy still reeling from inflation and low purchasing power, it’s a significant hit.
Transport operators haven’t been spared either. Keke riders are said to be paying ₦10,000 monthly, shuttle bus drivers ₦12,000, and even okada riders are expected to cough up ₦4,000 a month. These fees were introduced with the promise of ending extortion by touts and streamlining the revenue collection process.
However, in practice, they’ve added another layer of hardship for operators already grappling with rising fuel prices and vehicle maintenance costs.
And then there are the sanitation levies said to be up to ₦24,000 annually for urban homeowners with duplexes. Though tiered by location and property type, the question remains: How much of this burden can citizens shoulder, especially when wages haven’t kept pace with inflation?
To be fair, the Soludo administration hasn’t ignored the pain points. Some relief measures have been implemented, including tax exemptions for hawkers, artisans, and petty traders with capital under ₦100,000. There’s also a 20% reduction in IGR payments for transporters and a boost in civil servant wages by 10%. Additionally, over 200,000 bags of rice have reportedly been distributed to vulnerable residents as part of a broader social intervention effort.
Still, it’s a delicate balance. On one hand, Soludo is trying to formalize the economy and build a revenue base that’s not overly reliant on federal allocations.
On the other, he’s governing in a time when most Nigerians are simply trying to survive. The reforms, while structurally sound in theory, risk alienating those who feel they’re being asked to pay more but do not see immediate value in return.
In the end, taxation is about trust. Citizens are more willing to pay when they believe the money is used wisely and transparently. Soludo’s challenge now is not just to raise revenue, but to prove quickly and visibly that it will translate into tangible improvements in daily life.
