Benin City was rocked on Friday by a wave of peaceful protests as private school owners in Edo State stormed the Ministry of Education to decry what they described as a crushing and unsustainable increase in personal income tax rates by the state government.
Under the banner of the Coalition of Associations of Private Schools (CAPS), the protest brought together members from the Association of Private School Owners of Nigeria (APSON), Association of Formidable Education Development (AFED), National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), and the Association of Model Islamic Schools. Armed with placards and a unified voice, they called on Governor Godwin Obaseki’s administration to immediately reverse what they claim is a staggering 200 to 4000 percent tax hike on school proprietors.
Dr. Ohis-Olakhe Emmanuel, chairman of the coalition and leader of the protest, condemned the move as “economically hostile and damaging to the future of education in the state.” He revealed that all prior efforts at dialogue had yielded no tangible results, prompting the coalition to take to the streets in what they say is a fight for survival.
“Private schools are not only partners in driving educational excellence, but we are also one of the largest employers of labour in Edo State. If this oppressive tax policy is not reversed, over 300,000 teaching and non-teaching staff face imminent job loss. Vendors, service providers, and low-income families who depend on affordable private education will also suffer the fallout,” Dr. Emmanuel warned.
According to the coalition, the government’s use of N30,000 to N35,000 per student to estimate income for tax purposes is deeply flawed, especially when many schools charge far less. They argued that taxation should be based on net profit, not gross income, and should account for the numerous overhead costs school owners shoulder each term.
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Dr. Austin Igbasan, Secretary of CAPS, echoed similar concerns. He warned that the heavy taxation could force many schools to shut down, resulting in a surge in the number of out-of-school children, particularly among lower-income families. “This policy doesn’t just threaten livelihoods—it threatens access to education itself,” he said.
Speaking on behalf of AFED, Mr. Oladele Ogundele criticized the overwhelming number of taxes and levies school owners face—from personal income tax and PAYE to renewal fees, signage fees, environmental charges, and tenement rates. He described the situation as “a coordinated attack on education entrepreneurship.”
“Education is a public good, not a cash cow,” Ogundele said. “If the government truly believes in free and compulsory education, this tax regime contradicts everything the Nigerian Constitution and Universal Basic Education Act stand for.”
In response, Edo State Commissioner for Education, Mr. Paddy Iyamu, met briefly with leaders of the coalition and assured them that their grievances would be reviewed. He emphasized that while taxes are essential for development, the government would not overburden educational institutions. Iyamu promised that a meeting would be convened with the Edo State Internal Revenue Service to address the grey areas raised.
However, he also urged private school operators to meet existing operational standards, warning that the state would begin enforcing compliance measures soon.
