The Lagos Inland Revenue Service (LIRS) has taken a significant step toward building a stronger tax culture among young Nigerians through an innovative educational initiative targeting secondary school students across the state.
Tax Trybe Debate Competition Engages Youth
In its ongoing effort to reach young people and educate them about taxation and its inherent benefits, LIRS through its Tax Trybe initiative recently hosted a debate competition for public secondary schools in Lagos State. The second edition of this event took place at Immaculate Hearts Senior High School in Maryland, where Ayedere Ajibola Senior High School from Ketu emerged as the winner.
The competition involved 16 schools debating whether "Tax should be encouraged or enforced", providing students with a platform to develop their public speaking skills while learning about taxation. The initiative represents a strategic partnership between LIRS and leading marketing organization DKK, taking the tax education campaign directly to schools.
Building Future Tax Ambassadors
Speaking on behalf of LIRS, Assistant Director Lanre Lawal emphasized the critical importance of promoting tax culture among young people, citing the widespread reluctance of many Nigerians to pay taxes. "The majority of citizens are averse to tax payment, and we want to change this mindset", Lawal stated during the event.
He expressed satisfaction with the students' performances and highlighted the agency's commitment to continuing such educational initiatives. "We are impressed with the students' performances, and we hope to continue to encourage and educate them on the importance of taxation", Lawal added, noting that the program aims to "catch them young" and instill a tax culture that will benefit both the state and the country.
Expanding Tax Education Initiatives
Bukola Thomas Obikoya, Chief Operating Officer of DKK, provided insight into the long-term vision behind the Tax Trybe initiative. "We realized the fact that there was an issue with the adoption of tax with older people", Obikoya explained. "So, we decided that the best way to do this is to make it a point of conversation earlier on, to help dispel the negative thoughts of what Tax Trybe is."
The program extends beyond the annual debate competition, with DKK and LIRS establishing tax clubs in participating schools. Obikoya revealed plans to expand the initiative to universities and other educational institutions, indicating a comprehensive approach to tax education across different age groups.
The winning schools received substantial prizes for their achievements:
- Ayedere Ajibola Senior High School, Ketu - Tablets for students and a N100,000 gift voucher for their teacher
- Herbert Macauley Girls Senior High School, Yaba - Suitcases for students and a N75,000 gift voucher for their teacher
- Ogudu Senior Grammar School, Ogudu - Smaller boxes for students and a N50,000 gift voucher for their teacher
Students who participated in the competition expressed appreciation for the opportunity, with Nurudeen Tohirah and Oyinlola Inioluwa from the winning school committing to encourage others to pay taxes faithfully. The event successfully combined education with motivation, providing both knowledge and tangible rewards to participating students and teachers.
