President Bola Tinubu has reaffirmed that the implementation of Nigeria’s newly enacted tax laws will commence on January 1 as scheduled, dismissing calls for suspension from opposition figures and pressure groups.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the President stressed that the tax reforms are not intended to increase the tax burden on Nigerians, but to reset the country’s fiscal structure, promote harmonisation, protect citizens’ dignity, and strengthen the social contract between government and the people.
“The new tax laws, including those that took effect on June 26, 2025, and the remaining Acts scheduled to commence on January 1, 2026, will proceed as planned,” Tinubu said.
“These reforms represent a once-in-a-generation opportunity to build a fair, competitive, and resilient fiscal foundation for our nation.”
Calling for national support, the President urged Nigerians to embrace the reforms as they are set to take effect in the coming days.
Tinubu acknowledged the public debate surrounding alleged alterations to certain provisions of the newly enacted laws but insisted that no substantive issue has been identified that justifies halting the reform process.
“Our administration is fully aware of the public discourse concerning claims of changes to the recently enacted tax laws. However, no substantial issue has been established that warrants disrupting the reforms,” he said. “Trust is built over time through making the right decisions, not through premature or reactive actions.”
The controversy stems from concerns raised by Abdussamad Dasuki, a member of the House of Representatives, who alleged discrepancies between the versions of the tax bills passed by the National Assembly and those later gazetted and released to the public.
Dasuki argued that lawmakers’ legislative rights may have been breached, noting that the officially harmonised bills certified by the National Assembly clerk were not available for comparison.
“Before concluding that there is a difference between what was passed and what was gazetted, we must first establish what was actually gazetted,” he said.
“We do not have the harmonised version certified by the clerk that was transmitted to the President. Without that, even I cannot authoritatively say what was finally approved.”
His remarks triggered renewed calls for the suspension of the laws, with opposition leaders including Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar, alongside professional bodies such as the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), urging the Federal Government to pause implementation pending clarification.
President Tinubu signed the four tax reform bills into law in June, a move the government has described as the most comprehensive overhaul of Nigeria’s tax system in decades.
The laws include the Nigeria Tax Act, the Nigeria Tax Administration Act, the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, and the Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Act. Together, they consolidate tax administration under a single authority—the Nigeria Revenue Service.
Despite facing strong resistance during their passage, the reforms are set to come fully into force on January 1, 2026, marking a major shift in Nigeria’s fiscal framework.
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