By Nana Musa

Abuja, Oct. 28, 2026 (NAN) The Executive Secretary, Joint Revenue Board (JRB), Mr Olusegun Adesokan, says about 92 per cent of income earners liable to personal income tax will pay lower taxes or be exempt under Nigeria’s new tax laws.

Adesokan said this at a news conference on the early outcomes of the tax reforms in Abuja on Wednesday.

He said the reforms, which took effect in January 2026, were designed to promote fairness, reduce multiple taxation and improve revenue administration across the country.

Adesokan said the government’s vision was to tax prosperity rather than poverty, profits rather than capital, and returns rather than investments.

According to him, the reforms are guided by fairness, equity, accountability and transparency to improve voluntary compliance and support sustainable economic development.

He said the new tax framework would protect low-income earners while ensuring that high-net-worth individuals contributed their fair share to national development.

Adesokan said data from 23 states showed a 27 per cent increase in tax revenue collections between January and June, compared with the corresponding period in 2025.

He attributed the increase to improved revenue administration and a stronger focus on bringing high-income earners into the tax system.

Adesokan said the new personal income tax structure exempted the first N800,000 of annual income from tax, while higher income brackets attracted progressive rates.

He added that the maximum personal income tax rate under the new framework was 25 per cent.

Adesokan said the reforms were also designed to leave workers with more disposable income through revised tax bands and reliefs.

He cited an example in which a worker earning N1.2 million monthly could save more than N80,000 monthly under the new provisions, depending on applicable deductions.

The executive secretary said the National Tax Identification system was another major achievement of the reforms.

He said the system, developed in collaboration with the Nigerian Revenue Service (NRS), provided a universal tax identification number for individuals and businesses.

According to him, the interoperable system would enable revenue authorities nationwide to verify taxpayers’ records, reduce administrative bottlenecks and curb multiple taxation.

Adesokan said taxpayers could retrieve their Tax IDs through designated online portals, provided their personal details were accurate.

He also said that 21 states had adopted the harmonised taxes and levies framework as of Tuesday evening.

He said the initiative was designed to consolidate multiple taxes and levies into nine categories, addressing complaints about excessive and overlapping charges.

Adesokan said the board was working with state revenue authorities and the police to tackle illegal collections and unauthorised levies, particularly those affecting transportation and the cost of goods.

He said the board had also issued guidelines to promote uniform tax administration and strengthen coordination between federal and subnational revenue authorities.

Adesokan urged Nigerians experiencing tax-related disputes or unfair assessments to seek redress through the Office of the Tax Ombud.

He said the office provided a channel for complaints involving revenue authorities, helping to promote fairness and transparency in the tax system.

Adesokan emphasised that the reforms did not introduce new taxes but harmonised existing systems to improve efficiency and compliance.

He said the ultimate measure of success would be businesses growing, jobs being created and prosperity being shared across the country.(NAN)

NHM/AMM

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Edited by Abiemwense Moru