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The Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, Taiwo Oyedele, has announced that Nigeria’s haulage and logistics industry will be one of the biggest beneficiaries of the ongoing national tax reforms, aimed at simplifying the country’s complex tax structure and eliminating multiple levies.
Speaking at the Haulage & Logistics Magazine Annual Conference & Exhibition in Lagos, themed “Tax Reforms from Policy to Practice: Challenges and Opportunities for the Nigerian Haulage Industry”, Oyedele highlighted that the reforms are designed to stabilize the economy and transform macroeconomic gains into tangible relief for businesses and citizens alike.
He emphasized that one of the core objectives of the reform is the removal of multiple and illegal taxes, which have long contributed to the high cost of transporting goods across Nigeria.
“A critical aspect of this reform is the elimination of several taxes and illegal levies that continue to inflate transportation costs. The haulage and logistics industry will be among the biggest beneficiaries,” Oyedele said.
According to him, while businesses officially pay over 60 different taxes and levies, the inclusion of unofficial chargesraises the number to over 200, a situation he described as economically unsustainable. The government, he added, is already taking steps to delete such nuisance taxes from the constitution.
Oyedele further announced that the new framework has outlawed road extortion and the use of physical barriers for tax collection.
“Under these reforms, no one is allowed to place roadblocks or physically obstruct transporters for tax collection. Taxes should no longer be paid in cash — as those funds often don’t reach the government,” he noted.
Highlighting the government’s shift to technology-driven tax administration, Oyedele explained that transport operators will be able to make payments digitally and in installments, eliminating manual enforcement practices that have hindered efficiency for years.
To further protect industry players, a Tax Ombudsman Office will be established to handle complaints of harassment or illegal levies.
“This office will resolve issues swiftly — typically within 24 to 48 hours, with a maximum of 14 days — at no cost to taxpayers,” Oyedele said.
He urged transporters to familiarize themselves with the reforms and take proactive steps to benefit, such as registering their businesses with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) to qualify for a zero per cent Corporate Income Taxrate for small enterprises. He also advised operators to maintain proper financial records and use bank transactions to qualify for VAT refunds and protect themselves from presumptive tax assessments.
Earlier, Alfred Okugbeni, convener of the conference, described the reforms as groundbreaking and essential for tackling food inflation and transportation costs, both of which are heavily influenced by multiple taxation.
“Transportation is a major driver of food inflation in Nigeria, largely due to taxes and levies along transit routes. The ongoing reforms provide a timely opportunity to address this challenge,” Okugbeni said.
He added that the reforms represent a renewed social contract between the government and the people, encouraging transparency and accountability in the management of tax revenues.
The tax reform package, signed into law by President Bola Tinubu in June 2025, includes four key acts — the Nigeria Tax Act, Nigeria Tax Administration Act, Nigeria Revenue Service Act, and Joint Revenue Board Act — collectively aimed at creating a harmonized, technology-driven, and transparent fiscal system.
If effectively implemented, the reforms could mark a turning point for Nigeria’s transport and logistics ecosystem, reducing operational costs, improving ease of doing business, and fostering greater accountability in tax administration.
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