AbdulRazaq Harps on Tax Education to Boost Revenue Generation, Infrastructural Devt in Kwara

    Hammed Shittu in Ilorin 

Kwara State Governor, Alhaji  Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, has said that payment of taxes by residents of the state remains a major collective commitment towards the infrastructural and sustainable development of the state.

Towards this end, the governor called for tax education among residents and schools in a bid to strengthen revenue generation, 

promote fairness and improve compliance. 

AbdulRazaq stated this in Ilorin on Thursday during the 2026 grand finale of the state Internal Revenue Service (KWIRS) tax club quiz competition.

The governor, who was represented at the event by the Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, Dr. Lawal Olohungbebe, said that introduction of students to the fundamentals of taxation at an early stage by the KWIRS is a commendable investment in the state. 

He also said that the move would help to nurture a generation that appreciates the relationship between tax revenue, public expenditure, accountability, and development. 

The governor said that his administration remained committed to building a Kwara State where opportunities for learning, innovation, and personal development are accessible to young people. 

“We recognise that education and human capital development are critical pillars of sustainable growth, and we will continue to support initiatives that equip our students with the knowledge, skills and values necessary to succeed in an increasingly competitive world,” he said. 

Meanwhile, Government Secondary School, Lafiagi, has again emerged the overall winner for the KWIRS annual tax quiz competition with N2.5 million grand prize.

This is the second time the school will be emerging as the overall winner as it did in the 2025 tax quiz competition.

Saint Anthony Secondary School, Ilorin came second with a N1.5 million prize, while Ebenezer High School, Ilorin came third with N1 million prize.

For the student participants prize, the overall winner got 500,000, second position got 375,000, while third position received 200,000 as their teachers got 150,000, 100,000 and 50,000 respectively.

Also speaking, the Chairman, Kwara State Internal Revenue Service, Shade Omoniyi, told the participants that the knowledge gained through the competition is valuable, and the experience should inspire them to aim higher.

She said: “And to all the students here, I encourage you to remain committed to your studies, continue to develop your talents, and believe that with hard work and perseverance, the possibilities before you are limitless.”

She said competition is one of the initiatives of KWIRS under the 5Es Community Impact Programmes (CIPs) under Education as the programme is designed to nurture a generation of tax-compliant citizens by introducing students to the fundamentals of taxation while they are still in school.

Omoniyi noted that their objective is to help them understand that tax education is a civic responsibility and an important contribution to the provision of public infrastructure and services, as well as the sustainable development of the state.

She noted that the competition also provides an opportunity for students to build confidence, sharpen their critical-thinking skills and learn the value of healthy competition hoping that the lessons gained  will stay with them as they progress through their education and into adulthood.

One of the royal fathers present at the event, the Olofa of Offa, Oba Muftau Gbadamosi Esuwoye, in his speech, said the level of educational advancement of the people of the state have saved it from sliding into the list of states with high poverty index.

He said the recent ranking of 20 states in Nigeria with high poverty index which exonerated Kwara State, was the result of the the level of educational advancement of the people of the state and its government investments in the sector.

The monarch, who said he was excited by the recent ranking of the state as a low poverty status one, urged stakeholders in the state to support educational development of the younger generation to further guarantee the future of the state.