FG Confirms ‘Runs Girls’ Will Now Be Taxed Under New Fiscal Laws

The Federal Government has confirmed that ‘runs girls’, otherwise known as commercial sex workers, will now be required to pay taxes under Nigeria’s newly reformed fiscal laws.

This was learnt by PulseNets during an engagement session at the Redeemed Christian Church of God, City of David, Lagos, where Mr. Taiwo Oyedele, Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, addressed participants.

Speaking on the new tax regime, Oyedele made it clear that income earned from sex work qualifies as taxable service income. He told PulseNets: “If someone is engaging in runs, going out to look for men to sleep with, that is a service being rendered. Such income must be taxed.”

According to him, the reformed tax laws make no distinction between legal and illegal sources of income. What matters is whether money is obtained through service delivery or goods provision. He explained: “The law simply asks if you have earned income. Was it from providing a service or selling a product? Once the answer is yes, you are expected to pay tax.”

Clarifying further, Oyedele noted that gifts are not taxable under the new framework. He explained to PulseNets: “If you earn money and decide to send part of it to your cousin, brother, or even a stranger, that transfer is considered a gift. Because it is not in exchange for a service, it is classified as a non-exchange transaction. Such money is not taxable.”

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PulseNets learnt that the updated legislation consists of four key acts: the Nigeria Tax Act, the Nigeria Tax Administration Act, the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, and the Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Act. These were officially signed into law by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on July 26.

With this reform, all streams of income in Nigeria, including controversial or unconventional ones, now fall under the tax net.