Nigeria’s leading student organization issued a 14-day ultimatum to President Bola Tinubu’s administration on Monday, demanding a suspension of sweeping tax reforms due to take effect January 1, or face widespread demonstrations across the country.
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) criticized the new laws as poorly explained and potentially unconstitutional, urging a delay until full public awareness campaigns are conducted and parliamentary reviews are finalized.
“Failure of the relevant authorities to heed this call within fourteen days will leave NANS with no option but to commence coordinated nationwide protests,” the group said in a statement.
While endorsing equitable policy changes in principle, NANS vowed to oppose any measures rolled out “without trust, clarity, or due process,” adding that citizens remain “grossly poorly informed and insufficiently enlightened” about the reforms’ implications.
The association blasted the Federal Inland Revenue Service for an “elitist” outreach strategy reliant on social media influencers, which it said excludes many Nigerians without online access.
NANS also raised alarms over alleged discrepancies between the legislation approved by the National Assembly and the gazetted versions, stating: “A law whose authenticity is under investigation cannot, in good conscience, be implemented.”
The reforms, signed into law by Tinubu earlier this month, include the Nigeria Tax Act, Nigeria Tax Administration Act, Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, and Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Act, billed as the most extensive overhaul of the nation’s fiscal system in decades.
Opposition has mounted from northern lawmakers and the House minority caucus, with representative Abdussamad Dasuki claiming the final texts deviate from what was debated and passed, violating legislative protocols.
The student body warned that the rollout has “fuelled fear among citizens already grappling with economic hardship,” emphasizing: “A reform of this magnitude requires extensive public education, clarity, and trust-building mechanisms, of which none have been adequately provided.”
In response, Taiwo Oyedele, head of the presidential fiscal policy committee, affirmed the start date as “sacrosanct” and insisted the changes aim to ease burdens on ordinary Nigerians.
