President Bola Tinubu has declared that the new tax laws approved in 2025 will take effect from January 1, 2026, insisting that the implementation timeline remains unchanged.
In a statement personally signed by him on Tuesday, Tinubu said the reforms, including those enacted on June 26, 2025, represent a major opportunity to rebuild Nigeria’s fiscal framework on fairness, competitiveness, and long term sustainability.
According to him, the new tax laws are not designed to impose additional burdens on Nigerians but to reset the tax system, improve harmonisation, and strengthen the social contract between the government and the people.
“The reforms are a once in a generation opportunity to build a fair, competitive, and robust fiscal foundation for our country,” Tinubu said.
He urged all stakeholders to support the implementation phase, noting that the process has moved fully into the delivery stage and that no substantial issue has emerged to justify delaying or disrupting the reforms.
“Absolute trust is built over time through making the right decisions, not through premature, reactive measures,” the President stated.
Tinubu also reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to due process and the sanctity of laws already enacted, pledging to work closely with the National Assembly to promptly address any concerns that may arise during implementation.
He assured Nigerians that the reforms would be carried out in the overriding public interest, with the aim of promoting prosperity and shared responsibility through a fairer tax system.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, Taiwo Oyedele, confirmed that the final phase of implementation, covering the Nigeria Tax Act and the Nigeria Tax Administration Act, would commence as scheduled on January 1, 2026, following a high level meeting with Tinubu on December 26.
Oyedele said the decision to proceed was anchored on the pro people nature of the laws, which are structured to shift the tax burden away from vulnerable citizens.
He added that government projections show that about 98 per cent of Nigerian workers and 97 per cent of small businesses will either be exempt from taxes or experience a significant reduction in their tax obligations under the new regime.
