As part of efforts to improve Nigeria’s revenue profile, President Bola Tinubu yesterday approved the establishment of a Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, with Taiwo Oyedele as the Chairman of the committee.
According to the details in the statement, Oyedele will be leading the committee charged with the responsibility of improving Nigeria’s revenue profile and creating a more favourable and globally competitive business environment.
So, who is Taiwo Oyedele?
The most available information about him is that he is the Fiscal Policy Partner and Africa Tax Leader at Price Waterhouse Coopers (PwC). He has extensive expertise in fiscal policy, taxation, and economic matters. He is an author, keynote speaker, strategist, policy analyst and commentator on finance, business, and economic matters; but, there is even more.
Education
The renowned tax expert studied Accountancy and Finance at the Yaba College of Technology between 1999 and 2001.
He attended the Organizational Leadership Executive Program at the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) in 2012. In 2014, he attended the Organizational Leadership program at the Yale School of Management. He has also participated in Executive, Policy and Leadership training programs at the Harvard Kennedy School, the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Career so far
After completing his NYSC program in March 2002, he joined PwC fully as an Associate in the same year. He rose through the ranks of Senior Associate, Assistant Manager, Manager, and Senior Manager. By 2009, he had been promoted to Fiscal Policy Partner and West Africa Tax Leader.
In February 2021, he became Fiscal Policy Partner and Africa Tax Leader. Taiwo provides leadership to PwC’s Tax and Legal Services Practice in over 30 countries across Africa and is also a member of the firm’s Africa Leadership Team.
His extensive experience cuts across Finance, Consulting, Project Management, Leadership Development, Strategy, and Tax Advisory. Mr Taiwo has served as a Member of, the National Tax Policy Implementation Committee for the last six years; and a Member of, the Nigerian Taxation Standards Board for 8 years.
Positions and accomplishments
Taiwo Oyedele is the Thematic Lead for the Fiscal Policy & Planning Commission since 2020, and Chairman of the West Africa Debt Management Roundtable of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG).
He is also the Chairman of the Taxation & Fiscal Policy Faculty Board of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN); a member of the Nigerian Taxation Standards Board; and a member of the Ministerial Committee on the implementation of Nigeria’s National Tax Policy.
Oyedele served as Chairman of, West Africa Debt Management Roundtable for two years, at which point he led the Roundtable on Debt Restructuring and Social Financing in the ECOWAS Region: Providing a Pathway to Fiscal Sustainability. He was also the Research Director and Fiscal Policy Commissioner for over a year.
He is a member of the Global Tax Forum and has served as a member of the Global Governing Council of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) from 2011 to 2020.
Mr Oyedele is a regular guest on various media programmes where he analyses and discusses policies and Tax related issues. He is also a notable reference in several publications.
Other interests and roles
Oyedele is the founder of the Impact Africa Foundation and has served as President of the foundation since June 2015. The foundation supports the education of less privileged children in society by providing financial assistance, mentoring and advocacy.
Impact Africa Foundation has also done advocacy for public policy, social justice, equality, and fair taxation among others.
As an educator, Taiwo Oyedele is a guest lecturer at the Lagos Business School and also Associate Professor at the Babcock University Business School.
He also served as the Dean, Faculty of Direct Taxation at the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN) from 2010 to 2017; and has served as the Chairman, Taxation & Fiscal Policy Board, ICAN since 2018.
Mr Oyedele is a regular guest on various media programmes on TV, Radio and online broadcasting platforms. He is frequently referenced in many national newspapers and international publications.
His recent appointment
The statement announcing the establishment of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms and Taiwo Oyedele’s appointment as Chairman, says that the committee will be expected to champion transformative reforms in fiscal policy and taxation.
Is Oyedele equal to the task?
His experience and pedigree say Yes he is. Nigerians await.
