The Executive Chairman of the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS), Dr. Zacch Adedeji, has assured low-income earners that the impact of Nigeria’s newly introduced tax laws will be evident in their January salaries, with reduced tax deductions compared to the repealed regime.
Speaking on Tuesday during TVC’s Journalists’ Hangout, Adedeji said workers in the lower income bracket would begin to feel the benefits of the reforms by the end of January 2026, when salaries are paid.
According to him, the new tax framework was designed to ease the financial burden on Nigerians rather than increase it, particularly for vulnerable earners.
“The new tax laws are meant to protect Nigerians. They are not about increasing hardship,” Adedeji said. “By the time the salary is being paid at the end of January, a salary earner in the lower cadre will clearly see the difference compared to what they paid under the old law.”
He explained that essential items that significantly affect disposable income—such as food and transportation—have been exempted from transactional taxes under the new regime, a move aimed at cushioning the cost-of-living pressure on citizens.
Adedeji also dismissed claims and speculations circulating about the tax reforms, urging Nigerians to rely on facts rather than misinformation.
“You can see now that we are on the 13th of January. All those myths and rumors that were peddled around—you can see clearly that those things are nowhere to be found,” he said.
The NRS chairman reaffirmed the government’s commitment to implementing tax policies that are fair, transparent, and supportive of economic stability, especially for low- and middle-income Nigerians.
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