Tax Laws: Why NANS, ADC, LP, others kick as implementation begins in Nigeria

*The National Association of Nigerian Students, and some opposition political party leaders are against the implementation of the new tax reforms laws from January 1, 2026, in Nigeria

Alexander Davis | ConsumerConnect

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), and some leaders of the opposition political parties have expressed opposition against the application of the new tax reforms laws in Nigeria.

ConsumerConnect reports the opposition organisations cautioned the Federal Government, that the move could worsen poverty in the country.

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Besides NANS, some of those who warned the authorities against immediate implementation of the tax laws include Senator David Mark, National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Senator Nenadi Usman, Chairman of Labour Party (LP); Mr. Dumebi Kachikwu, 2023 ADC Presidential Candidate.

Earlier, a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), had ruled in favour of the implementation of the tax laws effective from Thursday, January 1, 2025.

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An interest group had instituted the suit, seeking to restrain the Federal Government from going ahead with its January 1, timeline for the implementation of new tax laws in the Nigerian economy.

Mark: Fresh taxes will deepen hardship, fuel hopelessness

Leading the opposition voices, Senator Mark, National Chairman of ADC, warned that the Federal Government’s new tax regime would worsen Nigeria’s cost-of-living crisis, and deepen public despair.

The former Senate President said the measures risk pushing already overburdened consumers further into hardship.

He also warned in a New Year message in which he reviewed Nigeria’s economic, security and democratic conditions in 2025, outlining the opposition’s concerns and expectations for 2026.

According to Mark, 2025 ended as a year of intense difficulty for most Nigerians.

The government’s promise of Renewed Hope translated instead into rising prices, shrinking purchasing power, and expanding poverty, with food, essential medicines and transportation increasingly beyond the reach of many households.

Mark stated: “The Renewed Hope that the government promised has yielded more misery and widespread hardship, as citizens battled with an ever-rising cost of living.”

The erstwhile Senate President as well contended that the situation has been compounded by new fiscal measures introduced at a time when citizens were already struggling to cope with daily expenses.

He asserted: “These taxes will not renew hope; they will renew hopelessness.”

On the contrary, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele rather urged Nigerians to support the reforms, just as Mr. Taiwo Oyedele, Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, assured that the new tax reforms would not result in automatic debits from bank accounts, regardless of the amount transferred or descriptions.

New tax laws implementation insensitive, draconian, ill-timed, says LP

Commenting on the commencement of the new tax laws in Nigeria in a New Year message Thursday, Senator (Mrs.) Nenadi Usman-led Labour Party (LP), charged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to prioritise the welfare of Nigerians in 2026.

Usman described the new tax regime as insensitive, draconian, ill-timed, and coming at a time most Nigerian consumers are suffering extreme poverty.

The Chairman of LP also said: “Nigeria is currently hemorrhaging from the devastating effects of misgovernance, and the effort to rescue her from the clutches of poor leadership requires far more than passive interest in the electoral process.”

She noted that Nigerians deserve good governance and urged the Federal Government to suspend the implementation of the new Tax Acts.

The LP Chairman said: “I also call on those in authority to demonstrate greater empathy in leadership by pursuing policies that genuinely address the needs of the suffering masses.

“It is utterly insensitive that the government of the day is planning to roll out a new tax regime that further compounds the already scorching burden borne by Nigerians at the dawn of a new year, especially amidst widespread calls for its suspension.

“This policy is as draconian as it is ill-timed.”

She noted: “While appealing for the immediate suspension of this anti-people policy, I wish to remind the government that the hallmark of good leadership, the world over, lies in the number of people lifted out of poverty, not those pushed deeper into it.

“How, then, does it benefit a nation to introduce a tax policy that seeks to enrich the state while impoverishing the people? Such draconian measures have no place in a developing economy like ours.”

NANS faults new tax law implementation, mobilises against NRS

As implementation of the country’s new tax laws commences Thursday, January 1, the National Association of Nigerian Students has said it is mobilising students across the country to protest against the implementation of the tax reforms.

The leadership of the students’ body, in a statement, has faulted the Nigerua Revenue Service (NRS) over its stance on the implementation of the new law from January 1, when a lot of issues in the gazetted law are yet to be resolved.

Olushola Oladoja National President of NANS, in the statement echoed the position of the Association is contained, and said: “NANS expresses its profound disappointment and total lack of confidence in the fiscal and economic advisers surrounding President Bola Tinubu, whose misguided counsel has continued to push the administration toward an avoidable national confrontation over the controversial Tax Reform Law.”

NANS also accused the Management of NRS of failing to engage the necessary stakeholders and the general public about the nitty-gritty of the laws.

It further stated: “The decision to proceed with implementing the Tax Reform Law from January 1, 2026, is not only unfortunate but a dangerous precedence for a government that claims commitment to participatory reforms and democratic values.

“Nigeria is a constitutional democracy, not a dictatorship. No policy, no matter how well intentioned, can be forcefully implemented without the consent and confidence of the majority of the people.

“It is, therefore, disturbing and unacceptable that Mr. President is being advised to proceed with implementing this law, even when the National Assembly, the constitutionally recognised representatives of the Nigerian people, has raised fundamental questions regarding discrepancies in the gazetted version of the law.”

NANS asserted: “It is a shame that the government has decided to proceed with this misstep, regardless of the painful economic consequences that it would portend for many Nigerians.

“More concerning is the fact that civil society organisations, youth groups, and students’ bodies across the country have openly expressed strong reservations, calling for the suspension of implementation until all grey areas are resolved, particularly issues bordering on constitutional integrity, transparency, and comprehensive public education and sensitisation of the Nigerian populace.”

The students’ body said: “The Government must understand that there can be no government without the governed and that while power may reside in offices, the power of the people is always greater than the people in power. “It is against this backdrop that NANS declares January 14, 2026 , as a National Day of Action against the implementation of the controversial Tax Reforms Law.”

Oladoja also stated: “As the National President, I, therefore, call on all NANS structures – campus chapters, state joints zonal coordinators, and the national secretariat – to commence immediate a massive mobilisation for a peaceful mass protest and march to the Presidential Villa Gate, in Abuja, FCT, on the said date.

“The convergence point shall be Unity Fountain, Abuja. Further operational details will be communicated in due course.”

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