President Bola Tinubu has confirmed that Nigeria’s new tax laws will take effect as scheduled on January 1, 2026, dismissing calls for a delay amid controversy over alleged alterations to the legislation.
Speaking on Tuesday, the president said tax measures that took effect on June 26, 2025, alongside additional laws due to commence in January, would proceed as planned. He described the reforms as a “once-in-a-generation” opportunity to reset Nigeria’s fiscal framework.
Tinubu stressed that the reforms are not designed to raise taxes but to harmonise existing rules, simplify administration, and strengthen the social contract between government and citizens. He urged lawmakers, businesses, and civil society groups to shift focus from debate to implementation, noting that the reform process has entered “delivery mode.”
While acknowledging public concerns over claims that some provisions were altered after legislative passage, the president said no material issue had been established to justify halting the reforms.
“Trust is built over time by making the right decisions, not through premature or reactive measures,” Tinubu said, reaffirming his administration’s commitment to due process and legislative integrity. He added that the presidency would continue to work with the National Assembly to address any concerns that may arise.
“The federal government will continue to act in the overriding public interest to ensure a tax system that supports prosperity and shared responsibility,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) has backed the federal government’s insistence on commencing the new tax regime on January 1, 2026, while warning that effective coordination and stakeholder trust will be critical to success.
Speaking at NECA’s end-of-year media engagement in Lagos on December 30, Adewale-Smatt Oyerinde, Director-General said the reforms must address the burden of multiple and overlapping taxes that continue to stifle Nigerian businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises.
Oyerinde cautioned that while 2026 could mark a turning point for fiscal and monetary reforms, the approaching 2027 general elections pose a risk to consistent implementation.
“Economic reforms require discipline, focus, and continuity,” he said, warning against allowing political distractions to derail progress.
He said the success of the tax framework should be measured by its impact on business survival, growth, and job creation, noting that resilience should not be mistaken for sustainability.
“The Nigerian spirit is not a substitute for good policy,” Oyerinde said, adding that policy inconsistencies, overlapping levies, and regulatory conflicts continue to undermine productivity and investor confidence.
Addressing controversies around the tax reform process, Oyerinde described it as imperfect but necessary, welcoming ongoing engagement between the National Assembly and the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms. He said legislative scrutiny should be seen as a democratic safeguard rather than an attempt to derail reform.
He also warned that abrupt policy reversals, new fees, and regulatory actions by government agencies could wipe out investments and discourage long-term capital inflows.
“If investors cannot predict policy stability over a 10-year horizon, capital will simply go elsewhere,” he said.
