President Bola Tinubu has insisted that the implementation of Nigeria’s new tax laws will commence on January 1, as scheduled, despite mounting criticism from opposition figures and pressure groups.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the President said the reforms were not designed to impose higher taxes on Nigerians, but to support a structural reset of the fiscal system, drive harmonisation, protect dignity, and strengthen the social contract between the government and citizens.

“The new tax laws, including those that took effect on June 26, 2025, and the remaining Acts scheduled to commence on January 1, 2026, will continue as planned,” Mr. Tinubu said.

According to him, the reforms represent “a once-in-a-generation opportunity to build a fair, competitive, and robust fiscal foundation for our country”.

He appealed to Nigerians for support as the commencement date draws closer, noting that public debates had emerged over alleged alterations to some provisions of the recently enacted laws.

“Our administration is aware of the public discourse surrounding alleged changes to some provisions of the recently enacted tax laws,” the President said.
“No substantial issue has been established that warrants a disruption of the reform process. Absolute trust is built over time through making the right decisions, not through premature, reactive measures.”

Controversy over the new tax regime intensified after a member of the House of Representatives, Mr. Abdussamad Dasuki, raised concerns about what he described as discrepancies between the versions of the tax bills passed by the National Assembly and those subsequently gazetted and made available to the public.

Mr. Dasuki argued that his legislative rights had been breached, insisting that the content of the gazetted tax laws did not reflect what lawmakers debated and approved on the floor of the House.

“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 said.

“The official harmonised bills certified by the clerk, which the National Assembly sent to the President, we don’t have a copy to compare. Only the lawmakers can say authoritatively what we sent.

“It should be the House of Representatives or Senate version. It should be the harmonised version certified by the clerk. Even me, I cannot say that I have it. I only have what was presented to Mr. President to sign.”

His comments triggered calls for the suspension of the tax laws. Opposition leaders, including Mr. Peter Obi and Mr. Atiku Abubakar, as well as pressure groups such as the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), criticised the alleged alterations and urged the Federal Government to halt the implementation.

President Tinubu signed four tax reform bills into law in June, marking what the Federal Government has described as the most significant overhaul of Nigeria’s tax system in decades.

The new laws comprise the Nigeria Tax Act, the Nigeria Tax Administration Act, the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, and the Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Act. All are to operate under a single authority, the Nigeria Revenue Service.

The tax reform bills initially faced stiff opposition from lawmakers and other key stakeholders before their eventual passage. They are scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2026.