The federal government, through the Joint Revenue Board (JRB), has denied claims circulating in sections of the media that the implementation of Nigeria’s new tax laws, which took effect from 1 January 2026, has been suspended.
In a clarification on Sunday, the Board stated that the Nigeria Tax Act, 2025 and the Nigeria Tax Administration Act, 2025 were duly passed by the National Assembly and assented to by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, on 26 June 2025. According to the JRB, both laws have fully come into force and remain operational.
The Board stressed that all provisions contained in the Acts are currently in effect, adding that relevant institutions at both the federal and sub-national levels are already proceeding with implementation in line with the law. It urged Nigerians to disregard the reports suggesting a suspension, describing them as false and misleading.
The JRB further called on individuals and businesses to continue complying with existing tax obligations, noting that compliance is critical to Nigeria’s collective socio-economic sustainability. The Board reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, collaboration with stakeholders, and timely clarification to ensure public confidence in the ongoing tax reform process. Nigerians were also advised to rely only on official government communication for accurate information.
The clarification by the JRB aligns with an earlier position taken by Taiwo Oyedele, Chairman of the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee. Oyedele had also publicly rejected reports claiming that the federal government had paused the issuance of guidelines for implementing the new tax laws.
According to him, the reports were based on confusion surrounding the availability of officially authenticated copies of the laws, but he emphasised that the laws themselves were never suspended. He described the claims as “fake news” and marked such reports as false on his verified social media account.
Oyedele explained that uncertainty arose because printed copies recognised under the Acts Authentication Act were not widely available at the time, as lawmakers had taken custody of them pending review. He noted that this situation did not amount to a halt in enforcement or implementation.
He warned that misinformation around tax reforms could unsettle stakeholders and have negative economic consequences, stressing the need for clear and accurate communication to sustain confidence in the reform process.
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