Ending tax illiteracy through technology: The Perpetual Badejo Story

Since the announcement of the implementation of redefined tax reforms in Nigeria, most people saw taxes with the same dread as a debit alert from an unknown source.

An average citizen would prefer the comfort of a viral WhatsApp rumour over the clarity of a gazetted law. Even the most educated professionals often find themselves caught between the fear of the unknown and the hope for a better Nigeria, unsure how to bridge the two.

Many believe the government will automatically deduct taxes from personal bank accounts. Others fear they won’t be able to open accounts without a TIN or that their money could be seized overnight. 

Amid this confusion, Perpetual Badejo stands as a voice of reason. She is a forward-thinking chartered accountant and tax expert who is determined to end tax illiteracy through technology. 

Refusing to limit herself to the four walls of an organisation, she has taken her mission online by leveraging social media and e-learning platforms to teach, demystify, and empower Nigerians about the tax reforms.

For context, the reform under the Nigeria Tax Administration Act (NTAA) 2025 has transitioned Nigeria into a digital-first fiscal environment, making the use of a Tax Identification Number (TIN) necessary but not mandatory for online banking and basic financial life.

Understanding the tax reforms is one thing; knowing how to calculate is another hustle, and eventually filing annual returns is a bigger problem.

Yet here is how Perpetual is curbing that in 2026.

Read also: Understanding the new tax regime: All you need to know

Perpetual’s journey into becoming a tax educator

Perpetual’s journey into taxation began from personal experience. Fresh out of university with a first-class degree in Accounting, Perpetual entered the professional world full of promises, only to realise that what she had learned in school didn’t quite match what the workplace demanded. 

A first-class graduate from the University of Benin and a distinction-holder in her MSc in Accounting from the University of Lagos, she has grown to become one of the most recognisable voices in finance education today.

“You imagine finishing school with your first class, but getting into the job market, and it looks like there’s a gap between what you were taught in school and what you’re actually doing in practice. I couldn’t even file taxes on Tax Promax; I didn’t know the correct way to do tax rates. Taxation was very, very confusing for me,” she recalled.

During her professional journey, she attended training and gained practical knowledge on taxation. She then realised that many other graduates faced the same confusion but rarely spoke up.

Motivated to bridge this gap, she partnered with other tax experts to train students like herself and connected theory with practice. 

Now, Perpetual is a Chartered Accountant, tax expert, and financial analyst redefining how Nigerians understand and engage with taxation. She has built a reputation for making accounting and tax relatable, simple, and even enjoyable. 

Perpetual is also a chartered accountant, a member of both the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN). 

Beyond her professional qualifications, she is a tutor and coach, teaching accounting, finance, and taxation, while also mentoring others on personal branding and professional development.

Perpetual Badejo

How Perpetual curbs tax illiteracy through technology

Over time, Perpetual realised her reach could grow exponentially through technology. When Perpetual went online to start educating people, she noticed that there were so many misconceptions and principles Nigerians were ignorant about.

Today, Perpetual leverages social media and virtual learning platforms to educate thousands across Nigeria and beyond.

She uses LinkedIn, where she commands a community of over 67,000 followers, to break down complex tax concepts in plain, engaging language. Her posts and videos spark conversations and offer clarity to professionals, students, and business owners who would otherwise shy away from taxation.

Beyond LinkedIn, she also conducts training sessions on Zoom, Google Meet, and other e-learning platforms, hosting virtual workshops and interactive discussions. Through these channels, she has built a digital classroom without walls and a space where anyone can learn, ask questions, and grow.

Perpetual’s consistency and authenticity have not gone unnoticed. She was recently recognised as one of the top 20 content creators in taxation by the tax boss himself, Taiwo Oyedele. This is a title she earned through years of dedication and hard work. 

“I was able to achieve this through consistency and just showing up. It’s not easy to talk about taxation to Nigerians because the average Nigerian doesn’t want to hear anything about taxation. I have always talked about taxation even before the Tinubu regime, and taxation is something I’ve been passionate about for years,” she said.

Perpetual’s bigger plans to end tax illiteracy in 2026

Misinformation spreads faster than facts.

“I once went to buy something in the market, and I wanted to pay by transfer, but the woman said, ‘No, don’t send money to my account — they said from January 1st, the government will take tax from my bank account.’ I was stunned. I had to sit down and start explaining to her that it wasn’t true,” Perpetual said.

That encounter made her realise how deep the problem ran. There’s so much false information out there. Anyone can write a misleading story headline like ‘Government to Deduct Taxes from your Bank Accounts’ across social media platforms just to get clicks, and before you know it, it spreads everywhere. The sad part is, people believe it.

She saw that tax illiteracy wasn’t just a knowledge problem; it was a communication problem. So, she aims to widen her reach beyond the internet. Partnering with churches and community organisations, she plans to hold more physical sessions for grassroots audiences — especially those without access to social media.

“I would go to churches, talk to market women, parents, and elderly people about taxes. I realised that if I could educate 100 people in one place, those 100 would go back and educate others,” she said.

As technology continues to evolve, Perpetual sees even greater opportunities ahead. In 2026, Perpetual plans to create more engaging video content. She observes that many Nigerians prefer visual and entertaining learning formats over long written posts.

To keep audiences interested, she intends to produce educational yet entertaining videos and promote them on all social media platforms. Her goal is to make taxation content that is fun, memorable, and easy to understand, ensuring people watch to the end and retain the lessons.

Read also: “Your NIN is NOT your Tax ID”: Insider exposes what media got wrong about Nigeria’s new tax system

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