DOUSING THE STORMS OVER THE NEW TAX AGENDA IN NIGERIA

Abstract

The entry captures Nigeria’s 2025 tax reforms which have largely taken off on January 1,2026. The new tax regime represents a comprehensive overhaul of the nation’s tax system, aiming to simplify compliance, widen the tax base, and perhaps boosts government revenue. That much, the lingering query on the lips of many stakeholders has been – what else does the nation’s leadership still demand from perhaps the already down – trodden taxing populace? Thus, the taxable populace is still skeptical at the real intentions of government in the current tax agenda. Perhaps the presumption is that Nigeria could witness a fresh wave of public protests as the real impact of newly enacted tax laws begins to unfold. More so, coupled with the alleged tampering of the tax bills, and the non-disclosure of the contents of the nation’s proposed tax memorandum of the understanding (MOU) with France. Again, the impact of the wide-spread rumour that the incumbent administration has been running governance by ambush has remained unabated. To investigate the foregoing, the study adopted a doctrinal method using texts, journals, research projects, and publicly available data obtained from the internet. It was the finding, of the study, among others, that the new tax agenda is clouded with suspicion, anxiety and mistrust by stakeholders. Consequent upon that, the study advocated, inter alia, that the nation’s leadership should strive for circumspection in the formulation of laws, rules and policies regulating the implementation of the new tax agenda, going forward.