Tax
News Analysis: 2025 Nigerian Tax Reforms Poised to Redefine Equity, Digital Compliance, and Fiscal Governance—Prof. Uba
The recent enactment of four tax reform laws in Nigeria—collectively described as a “fiscal revolution in waiting”—could radically reshape the country’s economic and civic landscape if fully and faithfully implemented, according to fiscal policy expert, Professor Chiwuike Uba.
The Nigeria Tax Act, Nigeria Tax Administration Act, Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, and Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Act, all signed into law in 2025, aim to overhaul everything from tax fairness and digital enforcement to revenue harmonisation and environmental levies.
“These laws are not merely administrative documents,” said Uba. “They represent a profound opportunity to move Nigeria from extractive taxation to an inclusive and transparent fiscal culture. But laws alone will not deliver justice—the test is in their execution.”
New Grounds in Fairness and Progressivity
For the first time, low-income Nigerians earning ₦800,000 or less per year are exempt from personal income tax. Micro businesses with under ₦25 million in annual revenue face no company income tax. Taxpayers who dispose of shares, land, or digital assets under ₦10 million also enjoy CGT exemptions—provided such transactions are not avoidance schemes.
“These provisions signal compassion and fairness in a system that has historically overburdened the poor,” Uba noted.
Digital Intelligence and AI-Enabled Oversight
The reforms introduce mandatory digital filing, fiscalisation, AI-enabled data cross-referencing, and mandatory use of Taxpayer Identification Numbers (TINs) linked to NIN, BVN, and CAC databases. Uba said this could be a “game-changer in tracking, verification, and fraud prevention.”
Strengthening Revenue Harmonisation
With the creation of the Joint Revenue Board and an Office of the Tax Ombud, the laws aim to unify tax collection processes across Nigeria’s federal, state, and local tiers. States are permitted to delegate tax collection to the federal body (NIRS) to avoid duplication and harassment of businesses.
Cracking Down on Avoidance and Digital Loopholes
The tax laws also expand the scope of Withholding Tax and Capital Gains Tax to cover digital assets, crypto, royalties, and non-resident service providers. Uba said Sections 190–195 of the Nigeria Tax Act now empower tax authorities to audit offshore transactions and enforce arm’s-length pricing in multinational group accounts.
Equity Gaps and Implementation Risks
Despite the bold reforms, Uba warns of serious blind spots. “There are no gender-targeted tax provisions or protections for the elderly and persons with disabilities,” he said. “Refund procedures lack automation, and no timelines are defined—potentially discouraging voluntary compliance.”
Additionally, most local governments lack the infrastructure to implement the reforms, risking wide disparities between high-capacity states and under-resourced LGAs.
Linking Tax to Services and Budgets
Uba stressed the need for tax-funded projects to be traceable by citizens, advocating for participatory budgeting, tax-tagged project dashboards, and transparency tools to rebuild public trust.
“Tax compliance is not just about enforcement—it’s about citizens seeing their naira at work in roads, water, schools, and health centres,” he said.
Green Taxation and Anti-Corruption
The new fossil fuel surcharge and provisions for environmental levies are a first step toward climate finance. But Uba recommends broader reforms including carbon pricing and eco-taxation on extractive industries.
He also lauded the reforms’ potential for fighting corruption, noting that TIN-linked AI tools could expose procurement fraud, tax evasion, and undeclared wealth—especially when paired with mandatory asset declarations.
Opportunities with Youth, Informal Sector, and Diaspora
With 60% of Nigeria’s economy operating informally, Uba proposes a “Youth Tax Transition Scheme” that incentivises digital registration with tax holidays. He also urged Nigeria to integrate with OECD’s BEPS and CRS frameworks to tax global wealth and diaspora income equitably.
Conclusion: Laws are Not Enough
“The 2025 tax reform laws represent not just new rules, but a new opportunity,” Uba said. “An opportunity to make taxation an instrument of justice and development. An opportunity to restore the dignity of the taxpayer. Nigeria has written the laws. Now it must write the legacy.”
About the Source:
Professor Chiwuike Uba is a development economist, fiscal governance expert and a respected voice in public finance reform.
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