Lagos State Deputy Governor and All Progressives Congress governorship candidate for the 2027 election, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, has promised to end multiple taxation in the state through a unified payment system and a harmonised tax schedule.

Hamzat said the proposed reforms would ensure that residents and businesses would no longer face repeated tax demands after making payments recognised by the relevant authorities.

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He made the pledge on Friday, November 13, 2026, at a town hall meeting organised by *BusinessDay*, where he outlined his plans for tax administration ahead of the 2027 governorship election.

The deputy governor said the state was working to harmonise its tax collection framework with the Federal Government’s tax reforms, which he said had reduced the number of taxes from 63 to nine.

He explained that the proposed arrangement would involve discussions with local governments to establish a common schedule, while respecting their constitutional independence as a separate tier of government.

“What Lagos State is doing, I agree with you, my brother, is now harmonising it. Because the Constitution and the Supreme Court’s ruling that the local governments are a separate government. So that’s the ruling of the land,” Hamzat said.

He added that the state intended to work with local councils to ensure that the approved tax structure was clear and consistently applied.

Hamzat said the reform was designed to address complaints from residents and business owners who often struggled to determine which taxes they were required to pay.

He recalled an encounter with a woman who asked the government to provide a clear list of her tax obligations so she could pay what was required without facing further demands.

“Now, a woman told me when I was going, I said, let me just know what I need to pay. If I pay, leave me alone. I think that’s a fair request and I intend to honour it,” he said.

The APC candidate promised to make the unified tax schedule accessible to the public, stressing that taxpayers would not be expected to pay levies outside the approved list.

“So that’s our promise, to make sure that taxes harmonise from 63 to just nine. And one schedule that everybody can see, if it’s not on the list, you are not paying it,” he said.

He also pledged to establish a complaint centre where residents and businesses could report cases of multiple taxation, unauthorised levies and other irregularities involving tax officials.

According to him, complaints submitted through the proposed platform would receive responses within 48 hours. He said the commitment had been included in his manifesto.

Hamzat further highlighted the challenges faced by food traders transporting produce into Lagos, noting that the state produces only about five per cent of the food it consumes.

He said traders bringing food from other states often encountered multiple collections along their routes, although Lagos had no direct control over levies imposed outside its territory.

He explained that the proposed system would allow relevant authorities, including local governments, to verify payments already made in Lagos and prevent repeated demands from taxpayers.

The deputy governor also referred to concerns about rent and other difficulties faced by residents, saying the state already had laws addressing some of these issues.

He stressed the need to make it easier for residents to report violations and ensure that government agencies respond appropriately.

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The proposed tax reforms form part of Hamzat’s campaign promises ahead of the 2027 Lagos governorship election, with the candidate presenting simpler tax administration as a way to improve the business environment and reduce the burden on residents.