The Society of Women in Taxation (SWIT), FCT-Abuja chapter, has trained over 150 women in tax compliance and the need for greater participation in tax policy and revenue decisions.

The training with the theme, “From Compliance to Influence: Women as Tax Catalysts for Sustainable Development,” was part of activities marking the 2026 SWIT HERizon Conference FCT-Abuja chapter and the society’s 12th anniversary.

The fifth coordinator of SWIT, FCT-Abuja chapter, Victoria Udo  said women’s participation in the tax ecosystem was pertinent to the growth and formalisation of women-owned businesses.

Ms Udo, who spoke during the training in Abuja, said the programme was designed to expand women’s knowledge, capacity and influence within the tax ecosystem.

She said the Nigeria Tax Act 2025 and broader fiscal reforms had reshaped the tax landscape, including provisions affecting small businesses, where women constituted a significant proportion of operators.

Ms Udo said digital administration and technology-driven compliance were also changing how revenue was assessed, collected and accounted for, making it necessary for women to acquire relevant knowledge.

She said the training was intended to help participants move beyond merely complying with tax obligations to actively influencing conversations around taxation, policy and sustainable development.

“Today, we are here to train tax practitioners and women in businesses as part of our activities to commemorate the 12th anniversary and the 2026 SWIT HERizon conference.

“We are training over 150 women on how to move from tax compliance to influencing the tax ecosystem. Our goal is to expand the vision, capacity and influence of every woman in the tax ecosystem.

“It is one thing to be a participant in taxation and another thing to influence other women to comply and participate, to ensure sustainable development and the growth and formalisation of women-owned businesses,” she said.

She cautioned women in business against tax default, saying non-compliance by one woman-owned business could negatively affect perceptions of other women-owned enterprises.

Ms Udo urged women to take the lead in tax compliance and encourage others within their businesses and communities to understand and fulfil their tax obligations.

She also advised participants to engage fully with facilitators, ask questions, share experiences and build professional networks that would extend beyond the training.

According to her, the objective was to ensure that the knowledge acquired translated into practical actions and stronger participation by women in tax and business conversations.

The SWIT’s  Sixth National Chairperson, Caroline Ndubuisi, said the training was not only to commemorate the society’s 12th anniversary but to also stimulate conversations on the role of women in shaping the tax ecosystem.

Ms Ndubuisi said women had always played significant roles in business and economic activities and should therefore participate more actively in discussions on taxation and the enabling environment for businesses.

“We at SWIT believe that this training is apt, particularly because women are often navigating digital tax compliance and emerging opportunities in business with little knowledge on taxation.

“The grassroots woman who does daily buying and selling may think that because she does not own a supermarket, she is not eligible for tax obligations.

“That is the reason for this training and the conference, to engage stakeholders on how to move from compliance to influence,” she said.

Ms Ndubuisi urged women to recognise their capacity to influence communities and institutions through professional knowledge, leadership and active participation in revenue mobilisation and national development.

She said society would continue to provide platforms for women to improve their professional knowledge, strengthen networks and contribute to policy conversations affecting taxation and businesses.

The Chairperson, Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) Gender Equality Committee, Angel Pariola-Fadahunsi, said women’s participation and influence in tax decisions remained critical to helping women-owned businesses formalise, grow and thrive.

Ms Pariola-Fadahunsi, also Group Director, Human Capital Management, NRS, made the assertion while speaking as a special guest at the SWIT FCT-Abuja Chapter HERizon 2026 Anniversary.

She said women occupied diverse roles as business owners, employers, employees, professionals, innovators, community leaders and decision-makers, making their participation in tax and economic decisions important.

Ms Pariola-Fadahunsi said an accessible and responsive tax system would support women-owned enterprises to formalise and expand, urging SWIT to continue removing barriers to tax compliance.

She also encouraged women to use their professional knowledge and positions to contribute meaningfully to decisions affecting taxation, businesses and the wider economy.

A tax practitioner and participant, Grace Stanley, said the training had improved her understanding of tax compliance and the practical implications of the ongoing reforms.

Ms Stanley said the training also provided an opportunity for participants to ask questions about their tax obligations and understand how compliance could support rather than hinder business growth.

She urged other women, particularly those operating small and informal businesses, to take advantage of tax education programmes to improve their knowledge and avoid penalties arising from non-compliance.

The training resource person, Georgina Ehuriah-Arisa, said tax compliance was essential to sustaining a nation’s economic development and ensuring that businesses operated within the framework of the law.

Ms Ehuriah-Arisa encouraged women to see taxation as part of responsible business practice and to keep proper records of their transactions to support accurate assessment and compliance.

She said improved tax knowledge would enable women to make informed business decisions, understand their obligations and participate more confidently in conversations on tax policy and administration.

The Society of Women in Taxation, an arm of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN), was formally inaugurated in 2010 to promote the professional development of women in taxation and create awareness on tax matters.

The society’s activities include tax education, professional development, public awareness and advocacy for women’s participation in tax policy, law and practice.

The training formed part of SWIT’s broader efforts to deepen tax education and strengthen women’s participation in Nigeria’s evolving tax environment.

 (NAN)