President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has insisted that the commencement date of the new tax law including those that took effect on June 26, 2025, and the remaining acts scheduled to commence on January 1, 2026, will be implemented as planned , despite calls by stakeholders for suspension of its commencement date, citing discrepancies between the harmonised version passed by the National Assembly and the version later gazetted.
The President disclosed this in a statement that he personally signed on Tuesday and issued by the State House.
The statement read, “The new tax laws, including those that took effect on June 26, 2025, and the remaining acts scheduled to commence on January 1, 2026, will continue as planned.
“These reforms are a once-in-a-generation opportunity to build a fair, competitive, and robust fiscal foundation for our country.
“The tax laws are not designed to raise taxes, but rather to support a structural reset, drive harmonisation, and protect dignity while strengthening the social contract.
“I urge all stakeholders to support the implementation phase, which is now firmly in the delivery stage.
“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. Absolute trust is built over time through making the right decisions, not through premature, reactive measures.
“I emphasise our administration’s unwavering commitment to due process and the integrity of enacted laws. The Presidency pledges to work with the National Assembly to ensure the swift resolution of any issue identified.
“I assure all Nigerians that the Federal Government will continue to act in the overriding public interest to ensure a tax system that supports prosperity and shared responsibility.”
It would be recalled that the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) had in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, said: “Nigerians across all walks of life have loudly voiced their displeasure over the smuggling in of very dangerous provisions which were expunged earlier by the Parliament.
“The controversy has triggered widespread demands for accountability, with Nigerians insisting on a thorough investigation into how the alleged illegal insertions were made, who carried them out, and the process involved.
“Nigerians have demanded a thorough investigation of this anomaly and sought to know who carried out the illegal insertion and how it was done.
“Rather than address these issues comprehensively, the Presidency has consciously minimised them and instead vehemently insisted that the commencement date must stand, despite the discrepancies.
“The posture of the Federal Government revealed misplaced priorities, as financial considerations were being placed above the welfare of Nigerians.
“This disposition clearly shows where the priority of the government lies-between Nigerians and money.
“This Tinubu Presidency has always prioritised finance over the welfare and well-being of Nigerians from its inception in 2023, as evidenced by the reckless way it announced and implemented the removal of subsidy, which immediately impacted the economy of the country and caused ordinary Nigerians to suffer irreparable economic damage.
“In this instance, the President should remember that he is an employee of the people and, therefore, should listen to his employers.
“He should also remember that he won with less than 40 percent of votes in the elections that gave him the job, and should, therefore, recognise that listening to Nigerians must be a primary duty of his administration, rather than serving the narrow interests of people around him.
“The interest of Nigerians must be uppermost in the mind of the President and the Federal Government.
“Obedience to laws in a democracy is directly linked to the belief that elected legislators have deliberated upon and approved them.
“A mere suspicion, let alone a confirmed fact, that unapproved sections have been smuggled into a law with the capacity to affect all Nigerians is sufficient reason to suspend its commencement.
“The President must act in favour of the people of this country; to do otherwise is a clear confirmation that money, not the people, is the priority,” the party added.
