The National Opposition Movement has urged President Tinubu to immediately suspend a new tax regime set for January 2026, arguing it will exacerbate hardships for poor Nigerians amid rising poverty and insecurity. Speaking in Abuja, the group described the policy as an assault on ordinary citizens' livelihoods. They called for nationwide consultations and protections for vulnerable groups.
The National Opposition Movement (NOM) held a press conference at the Shehu Yar’adua Centre in Abuja on Wednesday, December 17, 2025, to protest the upcoming tax reforms. The group warned that the new regime, effective from January 2026, would impose undue burdens on Nigerians already grappling with poverty, homelessness, insecurity, and high living costs.
NOM highlighted the nation's dire situation, stating, “At no time in the history of the country has life been so short, so brutish, and so miserable for citizens.” They cited global economic indices ranking Nigeria as having the lowest quality of life, even below neighbors like Benin, Togo, and Niger. The movement accused the Federal Government under President Bola Tinubu of prioritizing political interests over public welfare, calling the tax plan “an assault on the livelihood of ordinary Nigerians.”
Details of the policy include requirements for all adults of taxable age to file returns between January 1 and March 31, 2026, with sanctions for non-compliance. Company owners must file for all employees, regardless of income level, and a Tax Identification Number is mandatory. NOM noted challenges like over 70 million unemployed Nigerians and limited internet access, labeling the measures “mindless” and an “exploitative racket.” They added that low-wage earners, hit by subsidy removals and high tariffs, would face heavy taxation despite earning below minimum wage.
The group criticized a lack of transparency, referencing a memorandum between the Federal Inland Revenue Service and a French agency, and alleged corruption in state revenue bodies. NOM demanded immediate suspension of the implementation, nationwide consultations with labor, civil society, SMEs, professionals, and states, plus social protections tied to reforms. They advocated taxing “luxury, excess profits, monopolies, and corruption, not poverty.”
In a closing statement, NOM affirmed solidarity with workers, traders, professionals, and small businesses, vowing resistance to policies that punish the poor. They warned that forcing the plan without changes could spark social and economic unrest, contributing to West Africa's crisis of unaccountable governance.
