Chairman of the National Tax Policy Implementation Committee Joseph Tegbe has declared that Nigeria’s new tax framework is specifically designed to take financial pressure off workers and small business owners, while simultaneously building a more stable and competitive fiscal foundation for the country. He delivered the remarks at the BusinessDay Tax Reform Conference 2026 in Abuja, themed “Navigating the New Tax Regime: What It Means for Your Wallet,” where he described the reforms as the most far-reaching restructuring of Nigeria’s tax system in living memory.

The legislative architecture underpinning the reforms is substantial. Four major new laws form the foundation — the Nigeria Tax Act 2025, the Nigeria Tax Administration Act 2025, the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Act 2025, and the Joint Revenue Board of Nigeria (Establishment) Act 2025 — which collectively establish a more coordinated and transparent national tax administration framework.

The reliefs embedded in the new system are tangible and targeted. Workers earning below ₦800,000 annually are now fully exempt from personal income tax, while employees who qualify can claim rent relief of up to 20 per cent of their income, capped at ₦500,000. On the business side, companies with annual revenue below ₦100 million and total assets under ₦250 million are exempt from Company Income Tax, and nano-enterprises with earnings below ₦12 million annually enjoy complete exemption from income tax — a provision designed to protect Nigeria’s most vulnerable commercial operators from any fiscal burden at all.

Tegbe was careful, however, to clarify that an exemption from payment does not translate into an exemption from record-keeping. He stressed that individuals and businesses falling within the exempted thresholds are still required to maintain proper documentation of their earnings and file their returns regularly — emphasising that compliance culture must be cultivated even where no financial obligation exists.

Beyond the relief measures, the reforms carry a significant institutional dimension. They are designed to strengthen coordination among key oversight bodies — the Nigeria Revenue Service, the Joint Revenue Board of Nigeria, the Tax Appeal Tribunal, and the newly created Office of the Tax Ombud — while accelerating the digitalisation of tax processes to improve transparency, efficiency, and compliance rates across the entire system.

Tegbe closed with a summary of the philosophy animating the entire package — that effective taxation is not about maximising extraction but about building a system citizens can trust. He described the ultimate goal as a tax framework that works simultaneously for government and citizens — one that funds national development without placing excessive strain on the pockets of ordinary Nigerians, and that rewards enterprise and investment rather than penalising them.

The Federal Capital Executive Committee has approved ₦33.24 billion worth of contracts for execution within the next one year.

The committee gave the approvals during its 9th meeting, chaired by the FCT Minister, Mr Nyesom Wike, in Abuja on Friday.

Addressing journalists shortly after the meeting, the chief of staff to the minister, Chidi Amadi, said the decisions were part of the FCT administration’s efforts to provide critical services to residents of the FCT.

Providing details of the projects, Chinedum Elechi, Mandate Secretary, Transportation Secretariat, said that ₦7.22 billion was approved for the construction of access roads to Kugbo and Mabushi Bus and Taxi Terminals as additional works.

He recalled that contracts had been awarded in May for the construction of bus and taxi terminals in Kugbo, Mabushi and the Central Business District.

Mr Elechi added that the projects in Kugbo and Mabushi had reached an advanced stage before the realisation of the need for an access road to service the terminals from the major roads.

According to him, the committee has approved the award of the project to Planet Projects Ltd and to be completed in 12 weeks.
The mandate secretary also said that the executive committee approved the procurement of 120,000 litres of Automotive Gas Oil (Diesel) and 40,250 litres of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS.

He explained that the products were for the operation and maintenance of Wupa Basin Sewage Treatment Plant, adding that the contract was awarded to Safah and Fresh Ltd. at ₦2.92 billion, and to be delivered over 12 months.

Similarly, Mr Elechi said the supply of Diesel and PMS, at Wupa Basin Sewage Treatment Plant, was awarded to the same company to cover one year.

He added that ₦638,550 was also approved for the supply of 400,000 litres of Automotive Gas Oil to Lower Usuma Dam Water Treatment Plant of the FCT Water Board.

Also speaking, Shehu Ahmad, Executive Secretary, Federal Capital Territory Development Authority, said that the executive committee also approved the construction of access road to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Academy in Giri District.

Mr Ahmad added that the contract was awarded to Levant Construction Ltd. and ₦7.83 billion and to be completed in nine months.

He aid that the committee equally approved the design and construction of 10 units of Staff Quarters for the Nigerian Law School, Bwari Abuja.

He said that the project was awarded at ₦2.19 billion to Austlinks Energy Services Ltd., and to be completed in nine months.

The executive secretary further said that the committee also approved the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the existing Bill Clinton Road link to the Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport.

He said that the contract was awarded to Julius Berger at ₦9.88 billion and expected to be completed in six months.

“The contract also includes rehabilitation of facilities in the Presidential Wing, which includes the Presidential Hanger, taxiway, and airport apron, among other facilities,” he said.

On his part, Gardiya Bawa, Solicitor General and Permanent Secretary, Legal Secretariat, said the committee equally approved ₦605.94 million for the procurement of office equipment, furnishing of the new office for the secretariat, and purchase of utility vehicles. (NAN)

For daring to call for the expulsion of the presidential candidate of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar, the camp and political associates of the former vice president has moved against Nyesom Wike, asking the NWC to discipline him.

They described Wike as a serial betrayal who formed the group of five governors that committed series of anti party activities against the PDP during the February 25 presidential election.

Director of Research and Documentation of the PDP Presidential Campaign, Dr. Pedro Obasike said,

“Wike coming out to ask for the expulsion of the number one leader of the party and the presidential flag bearer of the party and the recipient of the mandate of the Nigerian people as declared in INEC’s submission that we won 21 states and asking Atiku to be expelled from the party, Wike has crossed the red line and now, he should be ready. He has all the money to fight us back because we are coming at him like a thousand bricks.

“He has unleashed the dogs of war and we will not sit back and watch him ride rough over the party and majority of Nigerians like he did for 8 years over the humility of the Rivers people. That can no longer suffice”.

He also challenged Wike to publish his bank account when he assumed office as a governor and after his eight years tenure as the governor of Rivers state.

According to Obaseke,  “Wike is a member of the APC, a sitting Minister of an APC government. Wike openly campaigned against the PDP. You see, by their fruits, we shall know them. By all intents and purposes, Wike is not a member of the PDP’ .

“If you remember clearly, just a few months to the election, Barrister Nyesom Wike, then the governor of Rivers State ran to the court to get an injunction to preclude and stop the PDP from expelling him from the party. If he was so untouchable and bigger than the entire party machinery, why did he do that? Whether we like it or not, Wike is Satan lieutenant.