Tax Collection In Nigeria Is Too Low – Bill Gates

Bill Gates, the co founder of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, has said that the tax collection rates in Nigeria, is too low. That this is why there are challenges in financing critical sectors, like health and education.

This remarks were made during Nutrivision 2024. A Pan-African youth dialogue on nutrition held in Abuja.

According to The Cable, Gates said this while responding to a question. Which is on potential mechanisms for large scale public health interventions.

He said, “Over time, there are plans for Nigeria to fund the government more than it does today. The actual tax collection in Nigeria is actually pretty low.”

“If citizens want the education and the health things, as they develop the confidence that these programmes can be very well run. And our foundation is involved with a lot of the exemplars that are showing the way in terms of making sure the money is spent really well.”

“Running a very efficient primary health care system where the employees are doing great work, the centres are where they should be, you don’t have underloaded centres or overloaded centres.”

He said that the citizens must trust in the Government’s ability to deliver quality healthcare. Also, there must be good and effective management on health programme funds.

He also stated the importance of running an effective primary health care system. With well placed and adequate staffed centres.

It’s exciting that we are driving the credibility of those health programmes. So that the citizens will feel like primary health care is amongst the priorities that should be very funded. As you get some fiscal flexibility,” he added.

Gates also expressed optimism about Nigeria’s potential to significantly boost its agricultural output. He suggested that the country could transition from a net food importer to a major food exporter.

The billionaire highlighted the need for improved credit facilities. Comprehensive soil surveys, and effective advisory services for farmers as key factors in achieving this transformation.

He said, “Nigeria today is a net food importer and yet, given the geography. If the right credit facilities and advice to farmers, soil surveys, things are available. There is the opportunity for Nigeria to more than double its food output. hich would be pretty transformative, because it would mean that you would be a net food exporter,” Gates said.

“Instead of having to use very scarce dollars, particularly the current exchange rate to go buy food, you are actually bringing dollars in.”

He said agricultural productivity, particularly in rural and northern areas, is crucial for improving incomes.