Na big gbege dey burst for Nigeria as new tax law wey go start January 2026 dey raise wahala about how government go fit dey collect and dey look people money matter.
Di law dem na to make government get more moni and expand how dem dey collect tax, but wetin dey worry people na di way dem wan track money of remote workers and Nigerians wey get money abroad.
Di new law, wey dem sign June 26, 2025, cover four main law dem: Nigeria Tax Act 2025, Nigeria Tax Administration Act 2025, Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Act 2025, and Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Act 2025. Dem wan use am modernize Nigeria tax system, but di way dem wan collect digital data dey make people dey fear for their privacy.
Government fit see money wey dey abroad
Chairman of Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee, Taiwo Oyedele, talk say Nigeria dey already dey receive plenty financial info from over 100 countries through Common Reporting Standard (CRS). Na so government fit sabi di foreign accounts and assets wey Nigerians get.
Oyedele talk say this info go help government stop people wey dey try dodge tax. Anybody wey no report dem income fit later face assessment based on info wey government don get.
People dey fear privacy matter
Lawyer dem and privacy expert dem talk say collecting sensitive data without telling people fit violate their rights.
Abuja lawyer, Ayomide Ahmed, talk say, “Di government fit collect basic info like BVN or NIN, but sensitive info like income history, foreign account, and location need consent. If dem no tell person, na ethical problem e be.”
Nigerians abroad dey fear
Tech entrepreneur, Wale Ameen wey dey UK, talk say e dey fear if government go use GPS or any digital tracking follow remote workers. E also talk say dem need clarify if na only Nigerians wey dey abroad or even wey dey Nigeria dey work for foreign companies dem dey target.
E also talk say di main wahala na whether money wey dem dey collect go dey used well. “For other countries, when you pay tax, you dey see how government dey spend am for healthcare, roads, and social services. For Nigeria, people no dey see anything,” e talk.
Economist dey call for transparency
Economist, Dr. Muda Yusuf, talk say to dey tax global income na normal thing for world, but Nigerians don dey spend plenty money by themselves for healthcare, education, and transport. Without transparency, people fit resist dis new tax law.
Clarification for Nigerians abroad
Oyedele clear say Nigerians wey dey abroad no need Tax Identification Number (TIN) or dey file tax for Nigeria unless dem dey earn money from Nigerian sources.
As Nigeria dey prepare to start di new tax law, experts talk say government must balance how dem dey collect tax and how dem dey protect people privacy to make sure people no vex.
