‘Too Late To Complain’ — Presidency Insists Tinubu’s Tax Laws Are Unstoppable

The Presidency has firmly rejected calls for the suspension of Nigeria’s newly signed tax reform laws, declaring that the legislation is irreversible and will be implemented as scheduled on January 1, 2026.

Speaking with The Punch, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, criticised those raising objections, noting that they failed to make their concerns known during the legislative process.

According to Onanuga, the reforms—described as revolutionary—are designed to strengthen government revenue and ease Nigeria’s tax system for citizens and businesses.

“The law has been passed by the National Assembly and endorsed by the President. Some people are just waking up when they should have raised their objections long ago,” he said.

He stressed that the implementation timeline remains unchanged.

“The law is unstoppable. By January 1, 2026, implementation will begin. There is nothing to fear. The reforms will harmonise multiple taxes and exclude low-income earners from taxation,” Onanuga stated.

The presidential aide dismissed calls for suspension as misguided and contrary to national interest.

“It is a revolutionary law that will benefit all Nigerians. To say it should not be implemented now is too late. The law, as it stands, is unstoppable,” he added.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu recently signed four major tax reform bills into law, described by the federal government as the most far-reaching overhaul of Nigeria’s tax framework in decades.

The laws include the Nigeria Tax Act, Nigeria Tax Administration Act, Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, and the Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Act. They will operate under a unified authority, the Nigeria Revenue Service, and are expected to take effect on January 1, 2026, following a six-month transition period for public sensitization and system alignment.