Kaduna Market Women Declares Support for New Tax Reform Pledges Compliance, Confidence

By Uangbaoje Alex, Kaduna

Women in nano and small businesses across Kaduna State have taken a decisive step toward financial empowerment and tax compliance following a two-day Training of Trainers (ToT) workshop on record keeping and Nigeria’s new tax reforms.

The workshop, organised by the Tax Justice and Governance Platform (TJ&GP) with support from Christian Aid, brought together 30 women leaders from about nine to ten markets across the state.

The training focused on strengthening understanding of the 2026 New Tax Reforms, improving basic business record keeping, and building the capacity of women leaders to cascade the knowledge to their associations and market clusters.

Speaking at the engagement, Hajiya Hadiza Abdullaziz, President of the Market Women Association, Kaduna State, described the new tax law as an eye-opener for market men and women.

“Before now, many of us did not really understand what the new tax law is all about. But from this programme, we now see that the law is designed to help us,” she said.

She explained that the training helped participants understand how the law clearly categorises taxpayers and introduced practical lessons on managing businesses, saving money, and keeping proper records.

“This knowledge will help us improve our businesses. I have nothing to lose from this law; instead, I have gained a lot,” she said.

Hajiya Hadiza added that women leaders from different markets would return to their communities to explain the tax law to other members, ensuring wider awareness and easier compliance. She also called on government to match compliance with visible improvements in market infrastructure, including security, lighting, water, and sanitation.

Delivering a technical presentation, Zakari Jamil, Head of Corporate Communications and Public Relations at the Kaduna State Internal Revenue Service (KADIRS), said the new tax law is progressive, inclusive, and designed to strengthen the informal sector.

“The law is pro–market women, pro–civil servant, and also supportive of investment,” he said.

Mohamed explained that the Nigerian Tax Administration Act places strong emphasis on automation and digitalisation, requiring businesses to adopt digital processes for assessment, filing, and payment.

He noted that Kaduna State has made significant progress, with taxpayers able to generate assessments, e-invoices, and make e-payments.

He stressed that proper record keeping is now a legal requirement, adding that market women are encouraged to move gradually from handwritten records to simple digital formats using tools like Word or Excel.

He also outlined filing deadlines, mandatory Tax ID registration via www.taxid.nrs.gov.ng, and penalties for non-compliance.

Highlighting incentives under the new law, Mohamed said small business owners stand to benefit from exemptions and reliefs, including a 20 per cent rent relief for shop renters, tax exemptions for agricultural produce businesses, and a simplified presumptive tax system with small fixed annual payments.

In his remarks, Simeon Olatunde, Kaduna State Coordinator of TJ&GP, said the training was designed to empower women with knowledge of both their obligations and their rights as taxpayers.

“People are willing to pay taxes when they understand the law. Knowledge gives you the confidence to engage tax authorities and to say no when a demand is not backed by law,” he said.

He noted that the programme is part of a growing movement to bring women in the informal sector into informed and equitable tax systems, adding that Kaduna’s experience is already drawing attention beyond the state.

With women leaders now equipped to train others in their markets, the initiative is expected to drive wider awareness, fairer engagement with tax authorities, and improved voluntary compliance across Kaduna State’s informal economy.