Nigeria to implement new tax laws from January 1 despite calls for delay, Tinubu says

Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu speaks in Brasilia, Brazil, August 25, 2025. REUTERS/Adriano Machado/File Photo.

After ending costly subsidies and twice devaluing the naira currency in his first year in office in 2023, Tinubu shifted focus to overhauling Nigeria's tax system to boost revenue and efficiency. He urged support for the reforms, calling them a "once-in-a-generation" fiscal reset.

The rollout is mired in controversy after opposition lawmakers alleged the gazetted laws contain unauthorized insertions never approved by parliament, raising concerns among the opposition and analysts over potential constitutional breaches.

Tinubu said there was nothing to justify halting the process.

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"Our administration is aware of the public discourse surrounding alleged changes to some provisions of the recently enacted tax laws. No substantial issue has been established that warrants a disruption of the reform process," the president said in a statement.

Opposition lawmakers say the insertions hand tax authorities sweeping powers, from seizing assets without court orders to upfront deposits before disputes can be heard.

Tinubu urged businesses and citizens to back the implementation phase, describing it as "firmly in the delivery stage."

He pledged to uphold due process and vowed to work with lawmakers to address concerns without delay.