Kaduna, Nigeria – The Clerk of the Kaduna State House of Assembly Committee on Budget and Planning, Mrs. Larai Gwani, has emphasized the need for a gender-responsive tax system to foster inclusive economic development in the state.
Mrs. Gwani made this call on Wednesday during the opening of a two-day policy dialogue on “Tax Administration and Gender-Blind Tax Systems on Women’s Business Development in Kaduna State.” The event, organized by the Tax Justice and Governance Platform (TJ&GP), Kaduna State chapter, with support from Christian Aid Nigeria, brought together policymakers, tax administrators, and stakeholders to discuss strategies for equitable tax policies.
According to the Clerk, tax compliance is crucial for national development, but inclusivity in tax policy is equally important. “As we all know, the role of the Assembly is to make laws that will develop the state and improve the lives of the citizens. But most importantly, for development to take place, there’s a need for everyone involved to be included in the lawmaking process,” she said.
Mrs. Gwani further stressed that a gender-responsive tax system ensures that women, particularly those in small and medium enterprises, are not unduly burdened by tax policies. “Having a gender-responsive tax system is most important because it involves everyone at the table. It gives everyone the chance to say something and also contribute to development,” she added.
The Role of Tax Compliance
Speaking on the importance of tax compliance, the Director of Personal Income Tax/Revenue Operations at the Kaduna State Internal Revenue Services (KADIRS), Mrs. Asma’u Inuwa, urged residents and business owners to fulfill their tax obligations.
“Government cannot run efficiently without funds, and these funds are largely generated through taxes paid by citizens,” Inuwa said. “Our main aim is to generate and collect taxes so that the government can deliver on its promises. I am appealing to everyone to see this as a crucial responsibility.”
She noted that tax compliance directly translates into better infrastructure, social services, and overall state development.
Gender-Blind Tax Systems and Women’s Business Development
The dialogue also featured insights from Mr. Simeon Olatunde, who explained the rationale behind the event. According to him, the discussions sought to examine how gender-blind tax policies impact marginalized groups, particularly women-led businesses in the informal sector.
“The meeting was aimed to facilitate discussions on the impact of gender-blind tax systems on marginalized groups and taxpayers in the informal sector, especially women-led businesses,” Olatunde said.
He highlighted the presentation of findings from a recent survey on gender barriers to taxation in Kaduna State. The survey revealed significant challenges faced by women entrepreneurs due to existing tax policies, which often overlook their unique socio-economic realities.
“The dialogue is also an opportunity to disseminate the printed copies of the report to target audiences for wider accessibility and impact,” he noted.
Commitment to Gender-Inclusive Tax Reforms
One of the key outcomes of the event was the call for actionable commitments from policymakers. Olatunde emphasized the need for gender-centered designs in tax policies to promote transparency, accountability, and equity.
“We aim to draw actionable commitments from policymakers towards the inclusion of gender-centered designs in tax policies and administration to promote transparency, accountability, and equity through tax-for-service agreements in Kaduna State,” he stated.
Participants at the event agreed that reforming the tax system to accommodate gender perspectives would significantly boost women’s participation in economic activities, increase tax compliance, and ultimately contribute to the state’s overall growth.
The dialogue concluded with a renewed commitment from the Kaduna State House of Assembly to consider the recommendations in their legislative agenda, ensuring that the state’s tax policies become more inclusive and supportive of women’s business development.
