Kogi Central senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has stated that Northern Nigeria’s apprehension over the Tax Reform Bills stems from the region’s lack of preparedness.

In a press statement shared by her media aide, Israel Arogbonlo, on Thursday, January 16, 2025, Natasha made the statement at the Sardauna Memorial Day in Kaduna.

She encouraged northerners to follow the vision of Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto, who led Northern Nigeria to prosperity in the 1950s.

She spoke about the region’s former economic strength, adding that in 1959, Nigeria’s groundnut exports to the United Kingdom were valued at £27 million—equivalent to ₦3.6 trillion today.

Natasha stated: “In 1959, Nigeria’s groundnut export to the United Kingdom alone stood at £27m which has an equivalent purchasing power of N3.6trillion today.

“The residue from the groundnut’s oil extraction was also exported to the UK as livestock feeds. Today, Nigeria’s groundnut exports sit at a distant $3m.

“Northern Nigeria’s cotton industry shaped the Liverpool cloth market in London, UK, between the 50s and 70s while the Kaduna Textile Mill flourished, creating thousands of jobs. Today, the cotton industry in Nigeria is pretty much non-existent, while this same industry generates $21 billion annually. That’s the thriving economy Sardauna helped create and left for us to improve upon.

“The only reason why the North is jittering about the Tax Reform Bills is because we are ill-prepared. If we were generating 3.6 trillion from one agricultural product, would we be bothered about the reforms?

“Hence, We must task our leaders with developmental mindsets to stir up the entrepreneurial ecosystems so our lands and factories can be productive once again. Let’s act from a position of economic abundance for our region and country at large.”