New Tax Laws: Full Impact of Reforms to Become Clear from January 1, 2026 — FIRS
Nigeria’s Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has indicated that the real effects of the ongoing tax reforms will become more evident from 1 January 2026, when the four executive new tax laws signed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu fully take effect, PulseNets learnt.
The revenue agency explained that this transition timeline provides context for why it closed the 2025 fiscal year with ₦22.59 trillion in total revenue collections.
In a statement issued on Sunday and obtained by PulseNets, the Spokesperson to the Executive Chairman of FIRS, Dr Zacch Adedeji, Arabinrin Aderonke Atoyebi, said the foundation has now been firmly laid for stronger performance in 2026.
She explained that the signing of four landmark tax reform legislations — including the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, which formally transformed the Federal Inland Revenue Service into the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) — was pivotal to the sweeping institutional changes underway.
“The new framework provides the agency with greater operational independence and a broader mandate that now includes non-tax revenue, while also harmonising tax laws that were previously fragmented,” Atoyebi stated.
According to her, the reforms go beyond administrative adjustments and represent a fundamental shift in Nigeria’s tax governance framework.
“These reforms are not merely procedural. They reflect a deliberate move towards a more structured, transparent, and accountable tax system capable of supporting economic growth, while ensuring fairness and predictability for taxpayers,” she added.
She further noted that the new legal architecture is expected to minimise uncertainties faced by businesses and individuals, while strengthening the institutional backbone of revenue administration in Nigeria.
Providing performance figures, Atoyebi disclosed that between January and August 2025, the Service generated ₦20.62 trillion, representing 82 per cent of its ₦25.2 trillion annual revenue target.
“By September, total collections had increased to ₦22.59 trillion, with non-oil revenue contributing a substantial portion. Cumulatively, from October 2023 to September 2025, total revenue collections reached ₦47.39 trillion,” she said.
She described the figures as evidence that a more disciplined and coordinated tax administration strategy is beginning to deliver results.
“This performance demonstrates that a more organised approach to revenue collection is gradually paying off,” Atoyebi told PulseNets.
The FIRS spokesperson also highlighted the role of digital infrastructure in driving efficiency, noting that technology featured prominently in the Service’s operations throughout the year.
Reiterating earlier assurances, she emphasised that Nigerians should expect visible improvements once the reforms take full effect in 2026.
“From January 1, 2026, taxpayers should experience clearer tax procedures, simplified access to services, faster issuance of Tax Identification Numbers and tax clearance certificates, as well as greater transparency in revenue management,” she said.
Also Read: Fire Guts FIRS Abuja Headquarters Days Before Nigeria’s New Tax Laws Take Effect
PulseNets reports that the newly enacted reform laws include the Nigeria Tax Bill, Nigeria Tax Administration Procedure Bill, Nigeria Revenue Service Establishment Bill, and the Joint Tax Board Establishment Bill.
