Expert calls for abolition of '9-to-5' work culture to boost economy

A Special Adviser on Economic Affairs in the Office of the Vice President, Tope Fasua, has called for the abolition of the traditional 9-to-5 work structure, arguing that shorter working hours could help attract young Nigerians into public service and boost the economy.

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On Thursday, Mr Fasua made the remarks at a town hall meeting organised by the El-Maverick Centre for Educational Research and Development.

The event, themed ‘Thinking of Taxes in a New Way’, was convened to foster public deliberation on tax reforms in line with President Bola Tinubu’s fiscal policy agenda.

“One of the things I’m also proposing is that 9-to-5 is finished. 9-to-5 is dead. Nobody does 9-to-5 work anymore,” he said. “If you want to encourage the young ones to come into public service, perhaps you should be taking about three hours of work a day.

“You can’t hold their attention for more than three hours. For the rest of the time, let them go. Some of them want to do skits. Some of them want to put a round light in front of them. They’re looking for followers on Instagram. That also adds to the GDP.”

Taxation and economic growth

The discussion also centred on the government’s ongoing tax reform efforts. Mr Fasua emphasised the need for citizens to view taxation as a crucial revenue source for national development, citing examples of how advanced economies effectively utilise tax income.

“My advocacy as an economist is that look, we want more stability. If we can employ Nigerians more—more Nigerians to have, you know, regular income—it will work for this country,” he added.

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The event was attended by policymakers, including Senator Babajide Omoworare, who underscored the importance of public discourse in the legislative process.

“So, I always welcome the opportunity like this to have a discourse on bills and enactments at whatever stage. It’s either that [a bill] has been passed, or that it has been assented to, or not. The theme of this one is thinking of taxes in a new way. The aim is to bring together experts in the tax ecosystem,” Mr Omoworare said.

Background

On 3 October 2024, President Bola Tinubu submitted four tax-related bills to the National Assembly: the Nigeria Tax Bill 2024, the Tax Administration Bill, the Nigeria Revenue Service Establishment Bill, and the Joint Revenue Board Establishment Bill.

The proposed legislation seeks to streamline Nigeria’s complex tax system, addressing the burden of multiple taxation while introducing exemptions for low-income earners.

However, the reforms have generated intense debate, with northern leaders calling for their withdrawal while other stakeholders advocate for broader consultations with the federal government.

This led to the establishment of the Presidential Tax Reform Committee for deliberation.

Taiwo Oyedele, chair of the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee, stated that the legislation is expected to be passed this quarter, with implementation preparations to follow in the coming months.

Experts Speak

A panel discussion at the town hall event explored the public perception of taxation in Nigeria.

The Dean of Law at Veritas University and the session’s lead speaker, Josephine Agbonika, said that many Nigerians see taxation as a burden rather than a civic duty.

She attributed this sentiment to historical distrust in government, excessive bureaucracy in tax filing, and the multiplicity of taxes levied at different levels of government.

“A larger percentage of citizens see tax as an opportunity for exploitation by the government, leading to compliance mainly from civil servants,” she said.

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Ms Agbonika also argued for simplified tax structures and public education initiatives to address widespread tax apathy.

She suggested adopting a single-digit tax rate and redistributing wealth to make the system more equitable.

“Taxes are meant to be used for the general public. It is not just money collected for public use. It is supposed to affect every factor of government,” she said.

Abdullahi Hashim, chief executive officer of Cubical Vertex Solutions Limited, stressed the importance of grassroots sensitisation to encourage voluntary compliance.

He also dismissed concerns that tax reforms were designed to impose hardship on Nigerians.

“The reforms are not done to punish Nigerians. They are a form to educate Nigerians about the processes, the regulations of effectiveness, repeatability, and maybe sustainability,” Mr Hashim said.