Chairman of the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee, Taiwo Oyedele, has warned that delaying the implementation of Nigeria’s new tax laws beyond January 1, 2026, will hurt workers and businesses. He said any postponement would deepen multiple taxation and sustain high operating costs across the economy. His remarks come amid mounting calls to suspend the reforms over alleged discrepancies in the laws.
The controversy was sparked by Abdulsamad Dasuki, a member of the House of Representatives, who alleged that the tax laws gazetted by the Federal Government differ from what lawmakers debated and approved. His claims have triggered public backlash and renewed distrust in the reform process. Prominent political figures, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi, have called for a suspension of implementation.
Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Monday, Oyedele cautioned that halting the reforms would worsen existing economic pressures. He said the failure to implement the new framework would leave most Nigerian workers overburdened by excessive taxes.
According to him, nearly all low- and middle-income earners would continue to face multiple deductions if the reforms are delayed. He added that businesses would lose critical exemptions designed to reduce costs and improve competitiveness. Oyedele noted that small and struggling enterprises would remain subject to minimum taxes, even when unprofitable.
He also warned that hidden Value Added Tax would continue to push up the prices of essential goods and services. Oyedele said food, healthcare, and education costs would remain artificially high without the reforms taking effect as scheduled.
Rather than suspending the laws, Oyedele urged authorities to isolate and correct any disputed provisions. He argued that if certain clauses were unlawfully inserted, they should simply be excluded from implementation. The rest of the law, as passed by the National Assembly, should proceed without delay.
Oyedele stressed that resolving procedural concerns should not come at the expense of economic relief for workers and businesses, warning that further delays would undermine the core objectives of the tax reforms.
