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The Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) has officially commenced operations, replacing the former Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) as the country’s new national tax authority. The transition follows the signing of the Nigeria Revenue Service Establishment Act 2025 by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in June. The commencement of operations coincided with the beginning of the new year. The official launch was marked by the unveiling of the NRS logo and brand identity at an event held in Abuja, signalling a new phase in Nigeria’s revenue administration framework. Speaking on the development, the Executive Chairman of the NRS, Zacch Adedeji, described the rebranding as a major milestone in the ongoing efforts to modernise Nigeria’s revenue system. Read Also: Tax Reforms on Track as Tinubu Dismisses Suspension Rumours In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media, Dare Adekanmbi, Adedeji said the new identity reflects a renewed commitment to building a unified, efficient, and service-oriented revenue system aligned with Nigeria’s broader economic transformation agenda. He explained that the establishment of the NRS represents continuity of purpose, enhanced operational capacity, and a forward-looking approach aimed at supporting taxpayers while strengthening national development. Adedeji further reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to transparency, partnership, and service excellence, stressing that the NRS is focused on building public trust and promoting shared prosperity across the country.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reaffirmed that the newly enacted tax laws will be implemented as scheduled, dismissing speculations about any suspension or reversal of the reforms. The President stated that the tax laws, which took effect on June 26, 2025, alongside other related Acts scheduled to commence on January 1, 2026, will proceed as planned. In a statement personally signed on Tuesday, Tinubu described the tax reforms as a once-in-a-generation opportunity to build a fair, competitive, and resilient fiscal foundation for Nigeria. According to him, the new laws are not designed to increase taxes but to support a comprehensive structural reset of the tax system, promote harmonisation, protect taxpayer dignity, and strengthen the social contract between the government and citizens. The President urged all stakeholders to support the implementation phase, noting that the reform agenda has now firmly entered the delivery stage. Read Also: FIRS Declares NIN as Automatic Tax ID for Individual Nigerians Tinubu Begins End-of-Year Break, Heads to Europe Kano APC Reiterates Unity, Ready to Receive Governor Yusuf He acknowledged ongoing public discourse over alleged changes to certain provisions of the laws but maintained that no substantial issues have been identified that would justify disrupting the reform process. Tinubu stressed that trust in governance is built over time through responsible decision-making rather than through premature or reactive measures, while reaffirming his administration’s commitment to due process and the integrity of laws already enacted. He further pledged that the Presidency would work closely with the National Assembly to ensure the timely resolution of any issues that may arise during implementation. The President assured Nigerians that the Federal Government would continue to act in the overriding public interest to establish a tax system that supports prosperity, equity, and shared responsibility.

Professionals, academics, civil society actors, and representatives of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Kano have urged the Federal Government to suspend the implementation of the recently gazetted Nigeria Tax Administration Act (NTAA) 2025. The appeal followed a one-day stakeholders’ dialogue held at the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) on Sunday, 21 December 2025, in collaboration with the Association of Professional Bodies of Nigeria (APBN), Kano Chapter. The dialogue brought together tax administrators, economists, SME operators, and civil society actors to discuss the impact of the new tax law on small businesses, sub-national economies, and constitutional governance. While participants acknowledged that the NTAA aims to expand the tax net, simplify tax administration, and promote digital compliance, they warned that structural and procedural challenges such as weak public awareness, low SME digital readiness, and poor record-keeping could place undue burdens on small businesses. Stakeholders expressed serious concern over alleged discrepancies between the versions of the NTAA passed by the National Assembly and the gazetted version, the inclusion of punitive clauses, limited public consultation, and foreign technical partnerships that may compromise Nigeria’s fiscal data sovereignty. In a communiqué delivered by Dr. Ahmad Muhammad Sarari and signed by representatives of Kano professional bodies, including Engr. YZ Yau, Dr. Muhammad Awwal Haruna, and Engr. Murtala Gara, participants called on the relevant authorities to suspend the implementation of the NTAA pending a comprehensive legislative review, ensure full constitutional scrutiny, protect national tax data from foreign access, remove punitive clauses, introduce SME-friendly incentives, and enhance capacity-building to encourage voluntary compliance. Read Also: Ex-FIRS Boss Calls for Cancellation of Gazetted Tax Law NNPCL Restores Escravos–Lagos Pipeline After December Explosion National Grid Restored After Nationwide Power Collapse Highlighting data protection concerns, Engr. Rabi’u Haruna warned that national tax information may have been exposed to foreign partners in violation of the Nigeria Data Protection Commission Act, which safeguards data privacy and ensures responsible handling of national data. The stakeholders further cautioned that implementing the contested tax laws without addressing these concerns could trigger litigation, constitutional challenges, and a loss of public trust in Nigeria’s tax system. They pledged continued collaboration with civil society organizations and SME associations to pursue lawful remedies should transparency and legislative integrity continue to be undermined.