Tax reform not targeted at poor Nigerians, says Lagos APC

By : Kehinde Olatunji

Date: 7 January 2026 4:38pm WAT

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The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has described criticisms surrounding the new tax reform policy as largely driven by misinformation, sensationalism and political mischief.

In a statement issued on Wednesday and signed by its spokesman, Mogaji Seye Oladejo, the party said it was necessary to clarify the objectives of the reform in the interest of public understanding, national stability and informed civic engagement.

According to the Lagos APC, the new tax framework is not targeted at low-income earners nor designed to impose additional hardship on struggling Nigerians. Rather, it said the reform prioritises the protection of vulnerable groups through expanded exemptions and a more progressive tax structure aligned with international best practices.

The party noted that Nigerians within the lowest income brackets are either exempt from taxation under the new regime or will experience reduced tax obligations. It maintained that the reform is focused on efficiency, equity and accountability, adding that portrayals of the policy as punitive are misleading.

The APC further argued that Nigeria could no longer sustain a modern economy on what it described as an outdated, fragmented and oil-dependent tax system.

It recalled that the country had for years grappled with multiple taxation, overlapping mandates, revenue leakages and weak enforcement—conditions it said discouraged investment, stifled business growth and rewarded tax evasion.

For businesses, particularly Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), the party said the reform simplifies tax compliance, eliminates nuisance taxes and creates a more predictable fiscal environment. It added that the framework also promotes fairness by ensuring that large and profitable corporations contribute an equitable share to national development.

The Lagos APC emphasised that taxation remains a key instrument for funding public infrastructure, education, healthcare, security and social protection. It stated that sustainable development is built on a functional social contract in which citizens contribute and government delivers, noting that the current administration is seeking to strengthen that relationship through fiscal reforms.

While acknowledging that reforms of such scale require transparency, public engagement and sensitivity in implementation, the party said constructive criticism should be encouraged, but deliberate falsehoods must be rejected.

Urging Nigerians to look beyond political rhetoric and fear-driven narratives, the APC insisted that the tax reform represents a difficult but necessary policy choice aimed at securing long-term economic stability rather than short-term political gains.

The party said the reform is part of broader efforts to lay the foundation for a stronger, fairer and more sustainable economic future for Nigeria.

“Contrary to the alarmist narratives peddled by the opposition, Nigerians earning within the lowest income brackets are either fully exempt or will experience reduced tax exposure under the new regime.

“The reform targets efficiency, equity, and accountability—not punishment. Those who have chosen to weaponize falsehoods against this policy have done so out of either ignorance or calculated desperation.

“The truth is simple: Nigeria can no longer run a modern economy on an archaic, fragmented, and oil-dependent tax structure. For decades, the nation suffered from multiple taxation, overlapping mandates, leakages, and weak enforcement—a system that stifled businesses, discouraged investment, and rewarded tax evasion. This reform decisively confronts those failures.”

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