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The Executive Chairman of the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS), formerly the Federal Inland Revenue Service, Zacch Adedeji, has urged security agencies to remain vigilant over planned nationwide protests against the newly enacted tax law.
Speaking during an interview on Arise Television on Sunday, Adedeji said intelligence reports point to coordinated attempts to frustrate the implementation of the reform, which he described as being designed primarily to protect low-income Nigerians.
“I’m using this opportunity to call all the security agencies to be on alert,” he said, adding that the reform was being deliberately misrepresented by groups he described as unpatriotic and opposed to fiscal transparency.
According to him, individuals promoting misinformation about the tax reforms are largely those seeking to evade taxes and resist the digitalisation of revenue administration.
“Those people you see promoting all this rumour and misinformation are those who have been avoiding taxes and now realise there is no escape because of the digital systems we have introduced,” Adedeji said.
He noted that tax reform was a core campaign promise of President Bola Tinubu and a necessary response to what he described as a fragmented and inefficient tax framework incapable of supporting sustainable development.
“Tax reform was clearly stated by Mr President in his inaugural speech,” he said. “He made it clear from the start that Nigeria must reform its tax system because it is the foundation of any sustainable economy.”
Adedeji recalled that the President constituted a reform committee chaired by Taiwo Oyedele, which spent about a year consulting stakeholders nationwide before submitting recommendations. These, he said, were subjected to public hearings and regional consultations by the National Assembly before presidential assent was granted in June 2024.
Addressing claims that the gazetted version of the Nigeria Tax Administration and Other Matters Act differs from what lawmakers passed, Adedeji dismissed the allegations as unfounded.
“I don’t want to delve into rumours,” he said. “Nobody, except the National Assembly, has the authority over the vote book. They released the gazetted law as passed, and that is the only document relevant to us.”
He stressed that the NRS has no role in altering legislation and that the executive arm has no legal authority to tamper with bills passed by parliament. He added that although the law took effect in June, some rate adjustments were deliberately phased to allow businesses time to adapt.
Framing the reform as one centred on fairness rather than increased taxation, Adedeji said its core objective was to simplify and unify revenue administration.
“The essence of the reform is to tax right, not tax more,” he said. “It is about fairness, transparency and consolidation of the tax system.”
He argued that the poorest Nigerians are the main beneficiaries of the reform, citing exemptions on basic consumption such as food and transportation.
“If you look at the exemptions, over 95 per cent of the poor are totally exempted,” he said. “Remove VAT on food and transportation, and you will see that the poor benefit the most.”
Responding to complaints about rising bank charges and VAT deductions, Adedeji said many of the issues attributed to the federal tax reform are either bank fees or state-level personal income taxes, noting that the NRS primarily administers company taxes.
He also dismissed reports that the government monitors individual bank transfers under the new law, describing such claims as misinformation. On banks’ obligation to report large transactions, he said the thresholds predated the reform and do not imply automatic taxation.
Adedeji further defended Nigeria’s memorandum of understanding with France on digital taxation, insisting that taxpayer data is not being shared with foreign authorities.
On the transformation of the Federal Inland Revenue Service into the Nigeria Revenue Service, he said the change represents a comprehensive institutional overhaul rather than a rebranding exercise, following months of system integration and capacity building.
“Most manual processes that encouraged human intervention have been eliminated,” he said, noting that a dedicated technology department has been created to drive data-led operations.
While acknowledging potential operational challenges, he said contingency plans were in place to manage any disruptions.
Addressing public scepticism about how tax revenues are used, Adedeji said reforms are already improving state finances and service delivery, expressing confidence that citizens would feel greater impact by 2026.
He rejected claims that the tax regime could be used to target political opponents ahead of the 2027 elections, insisting the reforms are being implemented in the national interest.
On the threat of protests by student groups and opposition parties, Adedeji warned that laws cannot be suspended through street action, urging adherence to due process.
“No individual can suspend a law passed by the National Assembly,” he said. “This is a democracy governed by the rule of law.”
He added that many of those calling for protests have not read the legislation, urging critics to engage constructively rather than resort to mass action. At the same time, he acknowledged the need for broader public enlightenment and supported translating the reforms into local languages.
The warning comes amid plans by the National Association of Nigerian Students to hold a National Day of Action on January 14, 2026, to protest the implementation of the tax reform law.
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