President Bola Tinubu on Friday expressed his appreciation to the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) following their endorsement of the four tax reform bills currently under consideration by the National Assembly.

President Tinubu lauded the governors for their bold leadership and commitment to fostering unity among leaders nationwide, transcending regional, ethnic, and political barriers to advance Nigeria’s development.

“Thursday’s productive consultation between the NGF and the Presidential Committee on Tax and Fiscal Policy is a commendable example of cooperation between the federal and state governments,” the president said in a statement by his media aide Bayo Onanuga.

Mr Tinubu commended Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, the chairman of the governors’ forum, for successfully galvanising support among his peers for the tax bills to rejuvenate the national economy and enhance Nigeria’s investment climate.

He also commended the Progressive Governors Forum, the Northern Governors Forum, and all other groups that made the bipartisan resolution of the controversy stirred by the tax bills possible.

According to the president, the primary aim of the tax reform bills, which is pro-poor, is to promote national interests, improve the competitiveness of Nigeria’s economy, and attract both local and foreign investments.

He said updating the country’s outdated tax laws was essential to this endeavour.

The president noted that the dialogue between the NGF and the Presidential Committee on Tax and Fiscal Policy Reform highlighted the power of constructive conversation in resolving differences.

He also encouraged other stakeholders with ideas and suggestions for refining the tax bills to engage with the ongoing legislative process at the National Assembly.

Mr Tinubu urged the National Assembly to expedite the legislative process for these crucial bills so that the country can swiftly reap the benefits of the reforms.