The federal government has dismissed reports of a planned 5 per cent surcharge on fuel, assuring Nigerians that no such measure is under consideration
Speaking to journalists on Tuesday in Abuja, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, said the administration is mindful of the economic hardships citizens are facing and would not introduce policies that worsen the situation.
“We will not worsen the burden on Nigerians. As of today, no order has been issued, none is being prepared, and there is no immediate plan to implement any surcharge,” Edun stated.
He explained that although the Nigeria Tax Administration Act, passed in June, makes provision for a surcharge, it does not translate to an automatic tax. A formal process, including a commencement order from the Finance Minister published in the official gazette, would still be required before such a measure could take effect.
“It’s not automatic that we wake up on January 1 to a new tax. There’s a whole formal process involved, and as of today, there is no plan to impose any surcharge,” he added.
Edun described the Act as the most comprehensive tax reform in Nigeria in decades, noting that it consolidates several tax laws into a single framework, eliminates overlapping charges, and simplifies compliance. He stressed that the reforms are focused on improving governance, blocking revenue leakages, and boosting efficiency, rather than adding new levies.
“Our priority is to strengthen tax governance, block leakages, and improve efficiency, not to pile on new taxes and costs,” he said.
According to him, the reform package—made up of the Nigerian Tax Bill, Tax Administration Bill, Revenue Service Bill, and Joint Revenue Board Bill—was the outcome of two years of consultations, negotiations, and technical work.
He added that the implementation phase will include institutional restructuring, capacity development, stakeholder engagement, and public sensitization to ensure that citizens and businesses fully understand their obligations.
Ahead of the rollout, Edun assured that the government will embark on a wide-ranging awareness campaign. “There will be publicity, sensitization, education, and information before full implementation,” he said.
He concluded that the reforms are designed to align with the government’s vision of building “an inclusive, strong, and growing economy” where the private sector thrives, jobs are created, and productivity is enhanced.
