A distinguished assembly of professionals from the fields of finance, law, business, and academia will headline the 2025 Convention and Annual Lecture of the Delta Online Publishers Forum (DOPF), set to hold on November 27, 2025, at David’s Event Centre, Asaba.
This year’s conference will examine the theme: “Nigeria’s New Tax Law: Implications and Opportunities for Businesses and Society.”
Chief Edward Obiefuna Martyns (Nnanyelugo), the Director of Local Government Accounts in the Office of the Accountant General of Delta State, will chair the event. A seasoned Chartered Accountant and Rotarian with extensive experience in both public and private financial management, Chief Martyns is expected to bring deep insights into fiscal governance and economic accountability.
An impressive lineup of discussants has been assembled from key sectors of the economy. They include Mr. Sonny Ekedayen, Delta State Commissioner for Economic Planning and Fellow of both ICAN and CITN.
Others were Mr. Victor Fegor Origho, taxation and corporate governance consultant and Accounting lecturer at Dennis Osadebay University, and Mr. Martins Oyem Aghaobodo, Esq., veteran legal practitioner, retired administrator, and Head of Chambers at Oyem M. Aghaobodo & Associates;
Barr. Ikpesu Gideon Jade, Vice-Chairman of the NBA Effurun Branch, who will offer legal and regulatory perspectives on the new tax regime, while Engr. Tony Okoh, President of DACCIMA, who will speak on private sector competitiveness under Nigeria’s evolving tax landscape.
The keynote address will be delivered by Associate Prof. Ochuko Benedict Emudainohwo, PhD, FCA, Associate Professor of Accounting at Dennis Osadebay University. A respected scholar and Fellow of ICAN, his address will provide an in-depth exploration of the new tax legislation scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2026.
The 2025 lecture comes at a pivotal time, as Nigeria prepares to implement what analysts have described as one of the most consequential tax reforms since independence. With a legacy of fiscal policies ranging from the Petroleum Profits Tax Act of 1959 to the introduction of VAT in 1993, the country continues to refine its revenue framework.
The new tax law seeks to enhance transparency, block leakages, simplify compliance, and improve public revenue administration. The DOPF platform will enable stakeholders to analyze its expected impact on governance, business operations, and the broader national economy.
Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, is expected as Special Guest of Honour, alongside senior government officials, business leaders, civil society representatives, and media practitioners.
Now in its sixth edition, the DOPF Convention and Annual Lecture has grown into one of Delta State’s most credible platforms for civic engagement and policy dialogue. This year’s gathering is anticipated to deepen public understanding of Nigeria’s new tax framework while fostering conversations aimed at supporting economic reform, responsible governance, and sustainable national development.
