Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has described President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s tax reforms as the most audacious overhaul of Nigeria’s fiscal framework in decades.
Dogara made the remarks on Tuesday while delivering the maiden Distinguished Parliamentarian Lecture organised by the House of Representatives Press Corps at the National Assembly, Abuja.
Speaking on the theme “Navigating Tax Reform in Nigeria: Insights on President Tinubu’s Policies,” Dogara said the President acted with courage despite stiff opposition, noting that urgent reforms were needed to save the economy from collapse.
“From day one, it was clear that something urgent, nay revolutionary, must be done to prevent our economy from imploding. By the time President Tinubu took office, ₦22.7 trillion had been printed and injected into the economy, destroying the value of the naira. Some anointed people were making hundreds of millions off forex allocations without producing any goods or services whatsoever,” he said.
The former Speaker argued that the reforms—set to become fully operational in January 2026—were designed to simplify Nigeria’s complex tax regime, broaden the tax net, encourage compliance, and align domestic rules with global standards.
Dogara stressed that the reforms were conceived to “protect the poor, empower businesses, encourage investment, and ensure fairness across society.”
On the controversy over fuel tax, he explained that the 5% fuel surcharge contained in the new Act was not a new levy but a restatement of an existing provision in the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) Act of 2007.
“It is also important to underpin the fact that the surcharge will not apply to all fuel products. Household kerosene, cooking gas (LPG), compressed natural gas (CNG), and renewable energy products are exempt. This aligns with Nigeria’s energy transition agenda. It is also not true that the surcharge will automatically commence in January 2026, as falsely claimed by some commentators,” he clarified.
He emphasised that successful tax reform requires public trust. “True tax reform is not about raising rates, but about raising trust. When citizens can see where their naira goes, they are proud to give it,” he said, urging the government to ensure revenues are transparently deployed in roads, power, health, and education.
Dogara added: “Let this reform be a pact between the government and the private sector, a promise that if we contribute diligently, the government will deploy those resources responsibly.”
In his remarks, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, commended President Tinubu’s bold tax reforms, describing them as a decisive step toward simplifying compliance, broadening the tax net, and easing the burden on citizens. Represented by the House spokesperson, Hon. Akin Rotimi, Abbas highlighted the role of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, chaired by Mr. Taiwo Oyedele, in harmonising tax processes effective January 2026.
Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Dr. Zacch Adedeji, represented by his aide Mr. Olufemi Olarinde, reaffirmed FIRS’ commitment to press freedom while urging journalists to deepen their knowledge of tax laws to ensure accurate and balanced reporting.
Also speaking, Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), FCT Council, Comrade Grace Ike, called on the government to guarantee transparency and accountability in the deployment of tax revenues.
Earlier, Chairman of the House of Representatives Press Corps, Gboyega Onadiran, said the lecture series was designed to bridge the gap between the legislature and the public by clarifying complex national issues.
The Organising Committee Chairman, Philip Nyam, added that the initiative marks a new phase for the Press Corps, positioning journalists as agenda-setters and contributors to national development.
