President Bola Tinubu has declared that there will be no reversal or delay in the commencement of Nigeria’s new tax laws, reaffirming that all provisions scheduled to take effect from January 1, 2026, will be implemented as planned.
In a statement personally signed on Tuesday, the President said the tax reforms, including those enacted on June 26, 2025, represent a “once-in-a-generation opportunity” to establish a fair, competitive and resilient fiscal framework for the country.
Tinubu clarified that the new tax regime is not designed to impose additional tax burdens on Nigerians but to achieve a structural reset of the system through harmonization, efficiency and protection of citizens’ dignity, while strengthening the social contract between government and the people.
He noted that the reform process has now entered what he described as the delivery stage, stressing that no substantial issue has emerged that would justify suspending or disrupting implementation.
“Absolute trust is built over time through making the right decisions, not through premature, reactive measures,” the President said.
Tinubu also reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to due process and respect for enacted laws, assuring that the executive would continue to work closely with the National Assembly to address any concerns that may arise during implementation.
He pledged that the government would consistently act in the overriding public interest to ensure a tax system that promotes prosperity, fairness and shared responsibility.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, Taiwo Oyedele, had earlier confirmed that the final implementation phase of the reforms—covering the Nigeria Tax Act and the Nigeria Tax Administration Act—remains firmly on schedule.
Oyedele spoke after a high-level meeting with President Tinubu on Friday, December 26, 2025, explaining that the decision to proceed was based on the pro-people orientation of the laws, which are designed to shift the tax burden away from vulnerable Nigerians.
According to him, government projections indicate that about 98 per cent of Nigerian workers and 97 per cent of small businesses will either be fully exempt from taxes or experience significant reductions in their tax liabilities under the new regime.
