Presidential Tax Committee moves to counter widespread misinformation as January 2026 implementation approaches…
The Federal Government has insisted that the newly signed tax reform laws were designed to reduce the financial pressure on Nigerians, dismissing growing public anxiety as the result of widespread misinformation.
Chairman of the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee, Taiwo Oyedele, made the clarification on Friday during a courtesy visit to the National Orientation Agency (NOA) headquarters in Abuja.
Oyedele said the committee was seeking the NOA’s support to help educate citizens on the reforms ahead of their rollout, warning that distorted narratives circulating online risk overshadowing what he described as “the most consequential and beneficial tax overhaul” he has worked on in his career.
According to him, while previous government decisions such as fuel subsidy removal and naira floatation, came with unavoidable hardship, the tax reforms signed by President Bola Tinubu in October 2025 are different.
“This tax reform is coming with benefits,” he stated. “Exemptions for small businesses, exemptions for workers, low-income earners, the middle class; reduced taxes for big companies; and harmonised taxes.”
The reforms, scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2026, introduce a range of measures aimed at simplifying Nigeria’s complicated tax structure. These include reliefs for small businesses, lower tax burdens for employees and middle-class households, reduced corporate taxes, streamlined compliance procedures, and the elimination of several nuisance taxes across federal, state and local governments.
Oyedele disclosed that the committee had compiled a list of 50 tax exemptions and reliefs meant to ease the burden on Nigerians. However, he lamented that fake news was creating unnecessary tension.
“Sadly, if you go on the streets today, you’ll find people who say they cannot wait to protest on January 1 because they believe this reform will increase their suffering,” he said. “Good news doesn’t go viral in our environment, but misinformation spreads very fast.”
He cited one example of false information circulating among northern farmers claiming that the government plans to seize a quarter of their produce, an allegation he described as a deliberate and dangerous distortion. He added that some of the misinformation has taken ethnic and religious dimensions, making the role of the NOA even more critical.
He stressed the need for nationwide sensitisation using relatable characters: farmers, students, business owners and communicating in local languages to ensure people understand the actual intentions behind the reforms.
Responding, NOA Director-General Lanre Issa-Onilu described the reform package as “the first comprehensive and far-reaching intervention in the fiscal and tax space in many years,” saying the agency is prepared to take on the task of public enlightenment.
“I must understand these reforms beyond the level of the average Nigerian to be able to communicate them effectively,” he said. “We’ve published materials already, but the more we learn, the more we realise how much still needs to be explained.”
Issa-Onilu noted that the NOA operates a wide-reaching information network, working with nearly 200 radio stations broadcasting in 72 local languages, 36 television channels, and several major media partners.
He added that the agency has personnel in all 774 local government areas across the country who are experienced in grassroots mobilisation.
“These are tools we deploy daily, and we will make them available to support the committee so Nigerians can receive accurate information,” he said.
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