President Bola Tinubu declared Tuesday that Nigeria’s landmark tax reforms will proceed without delay from January 1, portraying them as a pivotal chance to forge an equitable and resilient economic framework amid pushback from critics over the pace of implementation.
The overhaul, encompassing acts signed into law earlier this year, aims not at hiking levies but at streamlining processes, fostering harmony, and safeguarding citizens’ welfare, Tinubu said in a statement.
“These reforms represent a once-in-a-generation opportunity to build a fair, competitive, and robust fiscal foundation for our country,” the president stated, urging all parties to back the initiative now in its “delivery stage.”
He insisted no major hurdles had emerged to warrant postponement, adding: “Absolute trust is built over time through making the right decisions, not through premature, reactive measures.”
Tinubu reaffirmed his administration’s dedication to legal protocols and vowed to collaborate with lawmakers on any emerging concerns, emphasizing actions “in the overriding public interest to ensure a tax system that promotes prosperity and shared responsibility.”
The pronouncement followed a December 26 meeting with fiscal advisors, where committee chairman Taiwo Oyedele echoed the resolve, highlighting the measures’ “pro-people” design to ease burdens on the needy.
Oyedele projected that “nearly 98% of Nigerian workers and 97% of small businesses will either be fully exempt from taxes or see their liabilities drastically reduced,” framing the shift as a “significant economic cushion.”
The reforms, enacted in June, have sparked debate among opposition figures and student groups, who argue for more public education and scrutiny before rollout, but Tinubu’s stance signals a firm commitment to the timeline.
