Leading opposition figures have expressed strong opposition to the commencement of the new tax reforms by the Federal Government, warning that the measures could worsen poverty in Nigeria.
Those raising concerns include the African Democratic Congress (ADC) National Chairman, Senator David Mark; Labour Party (LP) Chairman, Senator Nenadi Usman; 2023 ADC Presidential Candidate, Mr. Dumebi Kachikwu; and the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS).
A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) declined to restrain the government from proceeding with the implementation of the new tax laws.
Senator David Mark said the newly introduced taxes will worsen Nigeria’s cost-of-living crisis, deepen public despair, and push citizens further into hardship. He stated: “The renewed hope that the government promised has yielded more misery and widespread hardship, as citizens battled with an ever-rising cost of living. These taxes will not renew hope; they will renew hopelessness.”
Senator Nenadi Usman described the new tax regime as insensitive, draconian, and ill-timed, emphasizing that Nigerians are suffering extreme poverty. She called for the suspension of the implementation, noting that good leadership should aim to lift people out of poverty rather than push them deeper into it.
Mr. Dumebi Kachikwu also opposed the reforms, warning that Nigerians cannot afford to start the year with additional taxes. He likened the current suffering of Nigerians to the biblical story of the Israelites in Egypt, questioning whether the President wished to be remembered as someone who caused mass hardship
The NANS leadership mobilised students to protest the tax reforms, faulting the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) for failing to engage stakeholders and the public before implementing the law. National President Olushola Oladoja declared January 14, 2026, as a National Day of Action against the new Tax Reform Law, calling for a peaceful mass protest at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
Mr. Taiwo Oyedele, Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, assured Nigerians that no automatic bank debits will occur under the new tax regime and that enforcement will target high-income earners. He said: “Nobody will debit your account. Any amount of money you transfer, whether it is N1billion, or N1,000, it doesn’t matter how you describe it. Nobody will debit your bank account.”
Senator Opeyemi Bamidele urged Nigerians to support the reforms, describing them as intended to bring more resources to the government for strategic infrastructure and long-term prosperity. He noted that the reforms aim to take more from the rich to support the poor and protect the interests of ordinary citizens.
Meanwhile, a High Court of the FCT, presided over by Justice Bello Kawu, ruled that the court lacked the power to stop the implementation of a law already signed by the appropriate authority without concrete evidence of wrongdoing. The court deferred further hearing on the case to January 9, 2026.
The Federal Government and top legislative officials, including the President, Attorney General, President of the Senate, Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the National Assembly, were cited as defendants in the suit.
