Hundreds of dispatch riders in Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT) protested on Thursday against what they call “multiple taxation,” gathering at the FCT Administration Secretariat in Abuja. The demonstrators urged Minister Nyesom Wike to intervene, alleging extortion by various tax authorities.
The riders affirmed they are compliant with their tax duties but described a new financial burden as overwhelming. A spokesperson for the group, Mr. Olawale Ilesanmi, stated the protest aimed to reject the practice of multiple levies and demand an end to what they consider unlawful charges.
Ilesanmi detailed that riders traditionally pay taxes to the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Bwari, and Gwagwalada Area Councils. He highlighted a new demand from a group representing the FCT Administration for a flat fee of N25,000, which he said is significantly higher than the area council taxes. He claimed many motorcycles have been impounded until this fee is paid, preventing riders from working.
Furthermore, Ilesanmi noted riders pay a N300 fee each time they enter a market in Abuja, a cost that multiplies with daily trips. “We riders know that it’s our statutory obligation to pay tax, and we have been complying year in, year out,” he said, adding that the sudden emergence of another tax collector with higher demands is unacceptable.
The protest concluded after leaders from the FCT Transportation Secretariat met with the riders’ representatives to discuss their grievances. The action underscores ongoing tensions between informal transport operators and multiple government tiers over revenue collection in the capital territory. A resolution could require clearer guidelines on taxing jurisdiction within the FCT’s complex administrative structure.
