2026: Read What FG Said About Runs Girls, Influencers, Others Paying Tax

By Christy Emeka

The Federal Government has clarified that tax will be paid from all forms of income earned in Nigeria.

They pointed out that this including proceeds from commercial sex work, which will be subject to taxation under new fiscal reforms taking effect on January 1, 2026.

Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, Taiwo Oyedele, made this known during a tax awareness session at the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), City of David parish, Lagos.

Oyedele explained in a video that has since gone viral that while upkeep money or gifts sent to relatives are exempt from tax as “non-exchange transactions,” earnings derived from services or products—whether legitimate or not—are taxable.

“If somebody is doing runs girls, that’s a service. They will pay tax on it. Tax law doesn’t separate between whether what you are doing is legitimate or not. It simply asks, do you have an income from providing goods or services? Then you pay tax,” he stated.

He described the reforms, which harmonise multiple tax laws into a simplified framework, as the most significant in Nigeria’s history, noting that they aim to broaden the tax base and improve compliance. Using the parable of a blind man and an elephant, he warned against focusing narrowly on any single aspect of the reforms.

According to him, the changes will affect business owners, employees, civil servants, remote workers, and social media influencers, including those earning in foreign currencies.

A 2024 report by this newspaper estimated that men in Lagos spent ₦661 billion on transactional sex, with ₦329 billion paid directly to sex workers and the rest on related expenses such as entertainment and hospitality. The report also showed that sex workers often channel their earnings into family support, education, healthcare, and small businesses—further strengthening the case for taxation.

Oyedele, however, urged Nigerians not to view the reforms only through the lens of sex work. “If someone is rendering a service, such a person will pay tax,” he said, emphasising that taxation is tied to income generation rather than morality.