CITN empowers legal practitioners with in-depth taxation knowledge

The Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN) has begun training to equip legal practitioners with updated and relevant knowledge in tax practice and administration in Nigeria.

The initiative, the institute said, is designed to bridge the knowledge gap for legal professionals seeking to specialise in taxation, equipping them with the requisite skills and expertise to navigate the evolving tax landscape.

President and Chairman of Council, CITN, Samuel Agbeluyi, while declaring the three-day conversion training programme open on Tuesday, said the gathering underscores the commitment of the institute’s governing council to maintaining professional excellence and ensuring that only qualified and certified individuals operate within the tax system in Nigeria.

Noting that as legal practitioners, they already possess a strong foundation in Nigerian law; however, he said taxation extends beyond legal interpretation, as it requires a firm grasp of financial principles, tax computations, and policy applications.

He said the programme had been carefully designed to complement their legal expertise by providing a practical understanding of tax administration, compliance, and enforcement.

Noting that the evolving global tax environment also necessitated that they stay abreast of international trends, he added that the programme would expose them to contemporary tax issues shaping economies worldwide.

In her remarks, Deputy Director of CITN Tax Academy, Yetunde Suleiman, said the event signaled the beginning of a new journey and transition into becoming certified tax professionals of the institute.

“At the end of this training, you will be officially recognised as having met all requirements under the law to be recognised as a potential tax professional. Your certification did not come on a platter of gold, it is coming as a result of your sheer willingness, passion, and dedication to be the best in your chosen career,” she said.

She added that one of the missions of the institute’s tax academy was to raise the competence of tax professionals in Nigeria through up-to-date tax education “and that is why this training has been put together.”

In his presentation, on an overview of the Nigerian tax system, Member, Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, 2023-24; Chukwuemeka Eze, said an efficient utilisation of tax revenue would ensure not only the smooth running of the wheels of governance but ensure that dividends of democracy in the form of provision of basic amenities were guaranteed.

Presenting another paper on ‘Tax Dispute Resolution’, Eze warned that Counsels should familiarise themselves with the tax laws and ensure fidelity with time.

According to him, clients may lose a lot of their income just because they did not comply with the duration of performance of a tax obligation.

“Irreconcilable differences may cascade the dispute to the Tax Appeal Tribunal (TAT) for adjudication. Once an assessment or demand notice becomes final and conclusive, the onus to pay a tax liability enures, even though the liability might be excessive or arbitrary. The onus, however, lies on the taxpayer to prove that a tax assessment is arbitrary or excessive,” he said.