The Executive Director of Lawgistics Africa, Mr Samuel Chukwu, has urged Nigerians to embrace the new National Tax Act to build stronger institutions and boost development.
Chukwu, a Lawyer, said this during the national tax sensitisation and awareness summit 2025 in Abuja on Thursday.
The theme of the summit was, “Understanding Nigeria’s New Tax Laws, empowering businesses, professionals and citizens for 2026 and beyond”.
He urged young people and small business owners to embrace the newly consolidated National Tax Act.
According to him, it is a transformative step towards a more structured, transparent and development-driven tax system.
Chukwu said that the Nigerian Revenue Service (NRS) was now the sole authority responsible for tax collection, a development that should calm fears of multiple taxation.
“One of the beautiful things about the act is that there is now a consolidation of the various laws. In the past, we had a proliferation of many laws, which caused confusion.
“With this consolidation, Nigerians should not be afraid of multiple taxes,” he said.
Chukwu said that small business owners tax system remained fair and progressive.
He said that citizens would only be taxed based on net income rather than gross earnings.
“It is your taxable income that is assessed. That is why we are organising this summit to let Nigerians know there is no need to be afraid.
“Keep your records, prepare your documents, and you can defend every claim,” he said.
He said that the new act would bring greater structure and responsibility into business operations, especially for young Nigerians operating online ventures.
“For young Nigerians like myself who do business online, you should have a structure to your business.
“If your income is below the legal threshold or around minimum wage, you have no reason to worry, but if you earn more, you should be ready to pay your tax,” he said.
He said that history of distrust in public finance management was over, and urged citizens to have a renewed faith in governance.
“If you move around the FCT today, you can see a lot of infrastructure projects underway. These are funded by taxpayers’ money.
“Let us play our part, even if things do not go well, we have peaceful means to express dissatisfaction,” he said.
He said that Lawgistics Africa, a youth-led organisation promoting strong institutions in line with SDG 16, believed that a revolutionised tax regime signals a broader transformation in governance.
The Chairperson of the Nigeria Bar Association Young Lawyers Forum (NBA-YLF), Garki Branch, Zullaihat Ohiare, said that young lawyers had a crucial role to play in simplifying tax regulations for the public.
She said that the complexity of legal language often discouraged compliance.
“What makes tax compliance difficult is the legal term around it.
“Young lawyers can demystify this regulations, break them into simpler terms, apply them to real-life situations, and make them accessible to ordinary citizens,” Ohiare said.
She said that there was a need for capacity building among lawyers themselves, as many legal practitioners do not fully understand the implications of the new Act.
Ohiare encouraged more public-facing legal education, including community outreach and “street lawyering”, to sensitise Nigerians about their civic responsibilities.
The Director-General of the Citizenship and Leadership Training Centre (CLTC), Federal Ministry of Youth Development, Rinsola Abiola, said that the tax reform was a fiscal tool designed to empower citizens, not burden them.
Abiola was represented by her Special Assistant on Training, Operation and youth engagement, Mr Emeka Nwaede.
She said that a widespread understanding of the new Act would foster accountability, enhance youth participation in governance, and support broader national development goals.
“The essence of these tax reforms is not to place unnecessary burden on Nigerian youth.
“Tax is a fiscal tool and a social contract to help citizens, especially young people.
“It promotes entrepreneurship and strengthens nation-building,” Abiola said.
