Taiwo Oyedele, Chairman of the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee, has cautioned that postponing the implementation of Nigeria's newly enacted tax reform laws beyond January 1, 2026, would exacerbate economic hardships for the majority of citizens. Speaking on Channels Television's The Morning Brief on Monday, December 22, 2025, Oyedele emphasized that failure to enact the reforms on schedule would perpetuate overtaxation and multiple levies on low-income earners and small enterprises.
“The implication of not implementing the new tax laws by January 1, 2026, is that the bottom 98 per cent of workers remain overtaxed,” Oyedele stated. He further explained that businesses would continue facing multiple taxation without accessing promised exemptions, small and unprofitable firms would still bear minimum taxes, and hidden Value Added Tax (VAT) components would sustain inflated costs for essentials like food, healthcare, and education.
Oyedele's remarks come amid mounting calls for suspension of the laws from prominent opposition figures, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, and various civil society organizations. Critics have cited alleged discrepancies between the versions passed by the National Assembly and those gazetted, prompting a House of Representatives investigation.
Rather than advocating a blanket suspension, Oyedele urged targeted corrections. “So, we need to be clear about what we are asking for,” he said. “Even if it is established that there have been substantial alterations to what the National Assembly passed, my view will be to identify those provisions… and go ahead to implement the law as passed by the NASS, while you address the issues as to how they got in there in the first place.”
He acknowledged imperfections even in the National Assembly-approved versions, noting: “I will say to you that regarding the one passed by NASS, even my committee and I have noted areas where we need to go back through Mr President to request amendments to those laws, because there were issues with referencing and definition.”
Addressing the core controversy—raised initially by Rep. Abdulsamad Dasuki (PDP, Sokoto), who claimed the gazetted laws breached legislative privilege by differing from approved texts—Oyedele stressed the need for verified documents. “Before you can say there is a difference between what was gazetted and what was passed, we have what has not been gazetted. We don’t have what was passed,” he explained, referring to the absence of publicly available certified harmonized bills from the National Assembly clerk.
Oyedele dismissed circulating drafts as inauthentic, particularly a disputed Section 41(8) requiring a 20% tax deposit for appeals, which appeared in preliminary materials but not the final gazette. “What is out there in the media did not come from the committee set up by the House of Representatives. I think we should allow them do the investigation,” he added, deferring to the ongoing parliamentary probe.
President Bola Tinubu signed the four landmark bills into law earlier in 2025: the Nigeria Tax Act, Nigeria Tax Administration Act, Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, and Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Act. These consolidate operations under the Nigeria Revenue Service, aiming to streamline collection, reduce overlaps, and modernize a fragmented system criticized for inefficiency and inequity.
The reforms promise relief for low-income groups through exemptions, VAT removals on basics, and incentives for businesses, while broadening the tax base to high earners. Implementation from January 1, 2026, is positioned as essential for immediate benefits, with Oyedele arguing delays would prolong current burdens.
This debate underscores broader tensions over fiscal policy in Nigeria, where tax-to-GDP ratios remain low, yet compliance burdens fall disproportionately on formal sectors. As the House committee investigates, stakeholders await clarity on authenticity and potential amendments, balancing urgency for reform with demands for transparency.
