Nigerians fear tax looters, not taxes, says filmmaker Ugezu J. Ugezu, urging transparency in government spending and accountability

Nollywood filmmaker Ugezu J. Ugezu has said Nigerians are not opposed to paying taxes but are concerned that public funds could be mismanaged or stolen by those entrusted with government resources.

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Ugezu made the comments in a video shared on Facebook, where he discussed ongoing conversations around tax reforms and public confidence in government spending.

The filmmaker said many Nigerians would willingly fulfil their tax obligations if they could clearly see the impact of their contributions through improved infrastructure and public services.

The argument, according to Ugezu, stems from concerns over accountability rather than resistance to taxation itself.

“The president is talking about introducing tax law. Let me be very sincere with you. Nigerians are not afraid of paying taxes. Nigerians are rather afraid of somebody looting the taxes they have paid, and we have seen it happen,” he said.

Ugezu argued that discussions about increasing tax responsibilities should also address how previous public funds were managed and ensure that those accused of corruption face consequences.

“You cannot be planning how you are going to tax the people, and you are not telling us what happened to the money that is being looted,” he added.

The filmmaker said public trust would improve if citizens witnessed stronger systems for holding individuals accountable for financial misconduct.

“If there is a system whereby people who are stealing government money are being made to face the law and we are seeing that the looters are being punished, we will be happy,” Ugezu said.

He added that transparency in the use of tax revenue would encourage greater compliance among citizens.

“If Nigerians are seeing what their taxes are used for, we will gladly be paying taxes,” he said.

Ugezu’s comments come amid wider national discussions on tax reforms, revenue generation and the need to improve public confidence in government institutions.

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Economists and public policy experts have often highlighted that citizens’ willingness to pay taxes is closely linked to trust, accountability and visible improvements in public services.