From fiscal reforms expert to ministerial nominee: Profile of Taiwo Oyedele

Taiwo Oyedele is a Nigerian economist, accountant, and public policy expert.

He currently serves as the Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, a position he assumed in July 2023 following his appointment by President Bola Tinubu.

Recently, President Bola Tinubu nominated Taiwo Oyedele as the Minister of State for Finance, recognizing his expertise and leadership in shaping Nigeria’s fiscal and economic policies.

Background

Taiwo Oyedele was born on 18 June 1975 in Ondo State and grew up in Ikaram, Akoko.

He earned a Higher National Diploma (HND) in accountancy and finance from Yaba College of Technology and a Bachelor’s degree in applied accounting from Oxford Brookes University.

He also completed executive programs at the London School of Economics, Yale University, Gordon Institute of Business Science, and Harvard Kennedy School, gaining global insights in finance, taxation, and public policy.

Career journey

Oyedele spent 22 years at PwC, joining in 2001 and rising to become Fiscal Policy Partner and Africa Tax Leader.

During this time, he served as Vice Chairman of the National Tax Policy Committee for the Federal Ministry of Finance, playing a key role in national tax reforms.

Regionally, he chaired the West Africa Union of Tax Institutes (WAUTI) High-Level Think-Tank on the ECOWAS Integration Project and led the West Africa Debt Management Roundtable under the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG).

He has also provided expertise to the World Bank and chairs the Taxation and Fiscal Policy Faculty Board of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN).

Leadership in fiscal policy reforms

In July 2023, Oyedele left PwC to head the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms.

Under his leadership, the committee proposed the creation of a unified Nigerian Revenue Service to replace multiple tax agencies.

The reforms aim to raise Nigeria’s tax-to-GDP ratio from around 10% to at least 18% within three years.

By May 2025, the Senate passed four tax reform bills based on the committee’s recommendations, including legislation establishing the Nigeria Revenue Service and updating VAT and petroleum royalty frameworks.

Ministerial nomination

President Bola Tinubu has nominated Taiwo Oyedele as the Minister of State for Finance, reflecting his growing influence in shaping Nigeria’s fiscal and economic policies.

Academic work

Beyond policy work, Oyedele is a professor at Babcock University, adjunct faculty at the University of Lagos, and visiting scholar at Lagos Business School.

He founded the Impact Africa Foundation, a non-profit organization focused on youth empowerment and social impact.

Professional memberships

He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria, and the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants.

He also serves on the Global Governing Council of the ACCA, contributes to the Global Tax Forum, and is part of the Harvard Business Review Advisory Council.