The Nigerian Youth Unions’ Government (NYUG) has called on the Federal Government to suspend the planned implementation of the newly enacted tax reform laws, warning that failure to do so will further fan the coordination of a nationwide resistance of the Tax Laws by Majority of the Nigerian People.
The Youth Unions’ Government which has 63 registered Youth and student associations cutting across various socio-ethnic and civil society formations, well coordinated by the Emerging Leaders Forum of Nigeria (ELFON) raised concerns over what it described as a poorly communicated and constitutionally questionable implementation process ahead of the January 1, 2026 commencement date.
Addressing journalists in Abuja after the Unions’ emergency meeting on Tuesday morning, the National President of the Youth Union, Ambassador Godstime Chukwubuikem Samuel accused the government of failing to adequately enlighten Nigerians on the content, essence, long-term benefits and overall implication of the tax reforms.
According to the Nigerian Youth Unions, the lack of public enlightenment has heightened anxiety among citizens already battling economic hardship.
“Nigerians are not well enlightened about the essence, scope and long-term implications of the new tax reform law, hence you don’t expect us to keep quiet when the national assembly is also raising alarm over what many noted as forgery of tax documents sorrounding the passage of the same tax reform laws,” Godstime stated.
He further stated that reforms of such magnitude require extensive public awareness, grassroot enlightenment and trust-building.
“You sit with state governors and few allies who are the greatest beneficiaries of the trillions of naira allocated to states, to decide a tax reform without representatives of the people, Youth Unions, traders Union, teachers Union, drivers union, etc… just only you, state governors and Co? e no go work Sir”, Godstime noted.
NYUG also called on the Federal Government to form a body that will be saddled with the responsibility of monitoring how huge allocations sent to states are being utilized, noting that Local government funds are not significantly used to.the benefit of the local government areas and peoples development.
“It is more worrisome as Nigerians recieved shocks over claims by members of the House of Representatives that the gazetted versions of the tax laws differ from those passed by the National Assembly.
“If development happens to be true, then serious executive and legislative integrity concerns is eminent. A law whose authenticity is under investigation shouldn’t be implemented,” NYUG President opined.
Godstime therefore advised the federal government to immediately postpone the implementation pending comprehensive nationwide sensitisation and the conclusion of the National Assembly’s review of the alleged discrepancies.
President Bola Tinubu had earlier signed four tax reform bills into law — the Nigeria Tax Act, Nigeria Tax Administration Act, Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, and Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Act — described by the government as the most far-reaching overhaul of Nigeria’s tax system in decades.
The reforms previously faced resistance from some lawmakers, particularly from the North. The controversy intensified after a House of Representatives member, Abdussamad Dasuki, alleged discrepancies between the laws passed by the legislature and the versions later gazetted.
Recall that the Minority Caucus of the House has also called for a halt to implementation pending clarification.
Godstime further stated that the Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, Taiwo Oyedele’s continuous stands that the January 1, 2026 implementation date remains unchanged, insisting that the reforms are intended to provide economic relief for Nigerians maintains a serious anger within the youthdom and Society as many wonders if Nigeria is a banana Republic where you just come up with any law and expect it to be complied with.
