Has Nigeria introduced obligatory tax for all citizens from 2026?

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Claim: A Facebook user shared a video stating that all Nigerians, regardless of income or occupation, will be required to pay taxes starting Jan. 1, 2026.

Verdict: False. Nigeria’s recent tax reforms expand the tax base and tighten enforcement. There is no evidence of a compulsory levy on every citizen or bank-account holder starting on that date.

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Across many European countries, high taxes fund essential services, including universal healthcare and robust social safety nets. In the United States, a combination of federal, state, and local taxes helps fund public services. Nigeria’s situation is very different. The country heavily relies on oil revenue, has a limited tax base, and struggles with weak enforcement of its laws. Whenever the issue of new or higher taxes arises, people pay close attention, especially after prices rise, subsidies are removed, and economic policies shift.

In a post about taxation, Facebook user @Zekeri Idris Jnr shared a video in which a man announced that all Nigerians will be required to pay compulsory taxes starting Jan. 1, 2026.

The clip shows a man seated in a car explaining Nigeria’s new tax reforms. He said, “Everybody in this country will pay tax as long as you have a bank account and money coming in, even if you are a bricklayer, a conductor, or a driver. You must pay that tax by Jan. 1, 2026.”

He explained that even a person earning N70,000 a month will be required to pay taxes. He noted that his problem with the tax system is that Nigerians will still have to provide basic amenities for themselves and suffer in a country where taxes will not fund the necessary changes.

“They will take away all the profit from your business for nothing, that is the new reality. You will all suffer.”

He ends by urging Nigerians to treat this as a sign to vote in the coming election, or they will continue being ruled by “morons.”

As of Sept. 23, 2025, the post had 104 likes, 34 comments, and 28 shares.

We checked the comments and found that more people accepted the claim than questioned it.

@Bizzibrayn Chimazie, for instance, remarked, “You are very correct.”

Another user, @Mhiz Preshy, responded, “You can sense that what happened in Nepal is starting to happen in Nigeria, say it because a ₦70,000 monthly salary isn’t even enough to live on. Rent, transport, food, and fuel are all included, and it feels like things are getting out of control.”

@Oseigbu Anthony observed, “Maybe when we all suffer more, people will turn up and vote for the right leader.”

But not everyone agreed. One user, @Ikponmwosa Uwigbe, countered, “Why are you misleading your followers with misinformation?”

The topic of taxation, primarily as it affects citizens, is essential. To prevent potential misinformation, DUBAWA decided to verify the facts.

Verification

DUBAWA’s first step was to search for any official announcement that supported the Facebook user’s claim. We searched government portals and press releases from the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), the Federal Ministry of Finance, and the National Assembly. We found no record of a nationwide tax set to begin on Jan. 1, 2026.

Major Nigerian newspapers and international outlets that report on economic policy also did not report a universal levy of this kind.

Next, we examined Nigeria’s current tax framework. The Nigeria Tax Act (NTA) 2025, signed into law, introduced a progressive personal income tax regime with revised income brackets and rates. The new tax bands are as follows:

Income range	Tax rate
₦0 – ₦800,000	0%
₦800,001 – ₦3,000,000	15%
₦3,000,001 – ₦12,000,000	18%
₦12,000,001 – ₦25,000,000	21%
₦25,000,001 – ₦50,000,000	23%
Above ₦50,000,000	25%

Nigeria’s new personal income tax bands under the 2025 Tax Act.

This structure provides relief for low-income earners while imposing higher liabilities on high earners. In addition, the Act abolished the minimum tax. It introduced a development levy of 4% on assessable profits, replacing multiple other levies such as the Tertiary Education Tax and the Police Trust Fund levy.

While we checked whether any agency had tied bank accounts to automatic taxation, we found earlier reports that addressed similar rumours. On September 14, 2025, the Joint Tax Board and FIRS issued public statements to clarify that Nigerians do not require a special Tax Identification Number to maintain or operate a bank account, and that no automatic debit or universal tax has been introduced.

DUBAWA contacted economic analyst Adamu Bello for his perspective on the claim. He said introducing a compulsory tax on all citizens would have serious consequences for low-income earners and informal workers, many of whom are not part of the current tax system.

“Demanding every citizen to pay taxes without considering income levels or ability to pay would place a great burden on the most vulnerable. It would push many further into poverty and reduce disposable income for basic needs,” he explained.

Adamu added that taxes work best when there is transparency and tangible benefits for citizens. He closed by saying that without improvements in public services, this kind of blanket taxation could lead to anger and public chaos.”

DUBAWA also spoke with Sunday Ajibola, a tax-policy researcher. He explained that Nigeria operates a progressive personal income tax, which exempts the first ₦800,000 of yearly earnings and applies higher rates only as income increases. He noted that the government seeks more vigorous enforcement of existing rules rather than a blanket charge.

“The 2025 Act updates rates and closes lo opholes. Wale Edun, Nigeria’s Minister of Finance, has stated many times that the goal is to widen the formal tax base and ensure people with taxable income pay what the law requires, not to impose a flat levy. Nothing that was presented to the National Assembly or to the press shows a plan to tax every citizen in 2026,” Ajibola said.