Chukwu Obinna 
Taiwo Oyedele
ABUJA, Nigeria – Nigeria’s proposed tax reforms risk leaving 98 per cent of workers overtaxed and businesses burdened by multiple levies if they fail to take effect by 1 January 2026, the chairman of the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee, Taiwo Oyedele, warns.
Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Monday, Oyedele says any delay prolongs what he describes as systemic inefficiencies in the country’s tax regime. “The bottom 98 per cent of workers remain overtaxed. Businesses will miss out on exemptions and continue to pay multiple taxes,” he says.
The reforms, championed by President Bola Tinubu, face growing opposition from political heavyweights, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Labour Party’s Peter Obi, alongside civil society groups calling for postponement.
Oyedele insists critics should pinpoint specific concerns rather than seek outright cancellation. “We need to be clear about what we are asking for,” he says, adding that contentious provisions can be amended without halting the entire framework.
The debate intensifies after a House of Representatives member, Abdulsamad Dasuki, claims discrepancies exist between the gazetted laws and what lawmakers approved. Oyedele confirms concerns around Section 41(8), which introduces a controversial 20 per cent deposit requirement, saying discussions with lawmakers are ongoing.
Nigeria Revenue Service. The four laws — including the Nigeria Tax Act and Nigeria Tax Administration Act — represent the most significant tax overhaul in decades, consolidating revenue functions under a new
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Hussaini Ibrahim 
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