Nigeria’s Chairman of the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee, Taiwo Oyedele, warned that failing to implement the new tax laws by 1 January 2026 could have serious consequences. Speaking on Channels Television’s program *The Morning Brief*, he responded to calls from former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Labour Party candidate Peter Obi, and several civil‑society groups to suspend the reforms. Oyedele said that if the laws are not put into effect, 98 % of workers will continue to face multiple taxations, businesses will miss out on exemptions, and low‑income and unprofitable enterprises will still be subject to minimum taxes. He also warned that hidden Value‑Added Tax (VAT) could raise the prices of basic necessities such as food, healthcare and education.
Rather than demanding a cancellation of the reforms, Oyedele suggested that specific concerns be addressed. He noted that certain provisions in the version passed by the National Assembly need amendment, particularly issues related to referencing and definition. His committee has identified these areas and will request changes through the President.
The controversy surrounding the new tax laws was further highlighted by House of Representatives member Abdulsamad Dasuki, who pointed out discrepancies between the tax statutes enacted by the National Assembly and the versions later gazetted and released to the public. Oyedele said he had contacted the House Committee about a particular section that appeared in the draft gazette but was omitted from the final gazette.
President Bola Tinubu has signed four tax‑reform bills into law—the Nigeria Tax Act, the Nigeria Tax Administration Act, the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, and the Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Act—marking a major overhaul of the country’s tax system. The laws are slated to take effect on 1 January 2026, and Oyedele’s warnings underscore the importance of resolving outstanding issues and implementing the reforms as intended.
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