The Federal Government has released new transition guidelines to help taxpayers, tax authorities, businesses, and other stakeholders adapt smoothly to Nigeria’s new tax system introduced under the Tax Acts 2025.
The guidelines provide clear instructions on how tax-related matters should be handled as the country moves from the old tax framework to the new one, which officially came into effect on January 1, 2026.
The announcement was made in a statement issued by the Head of Information and Public Relations at the Federal Ministry of Finance, Efe Ovuakporie.
According to the ministry, the guidelines explain how existing tax obligations and ongoing tax matters will be treated during the transition period. These include tax liabilities, assessments, audits, investigations, disputes, and enforcement actions that began before the new laws came into force.
The government clarified that tax issues relating to periods before January 1, 2026, will continue to be managed under the previous tax laws. This means taxpayers and authorities will still use the old regulations when dealing with obligations that arose before the commencement of the new framework.
The Tax Acts 2025 consist of four major laws designed to modernize Nigeria’s tax administration system. These are the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, the Nigeria Tax Act, the Nigeria Tax Administration Act, and the Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Act.
The ministry explained that tax returns for accounting periods ending before January 1, 2026, must be filed under the old tax laws. However, returns relating to periods from January 1, 2026, onward will be processed according to the new tax framework.
The guidelines also address several important areas, including income taxes, transaction taxes, development levies, tax incentives, exemptions, record-keeping requirements, and transactions that span both the old and new tax systems.
One of the key provisions is that tax incentives and exemptions granted under the repealed laws will remain valid until they expire. This is expected to provide certainty for businesses and investors currently benefiting from such incentives.
However, the government stated that all new applications and pending requests for tax incentives will be evaluated based on the provisions contained in the Tax Acts 2025.
Speaking on the new guidelines, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, said the document was created to provide clarity and reduce confusion during the transition process.
He emphasized that the new tax laws would not be applied retrospectively, meaning taxpayers would not be subjected to rules that did not exist when their obligations were originally created.
According to the minister, the transition framework is built on three key principles: clarity, fairness, and administrative certainty. These principles are intended to ensure a smooth implementation process while protecting the rights of taxpayers and supporting efficient tax administration.
The ministry added that the guidelines are designed to promote uniform application of the new tax laws across all tax authorities in Nigeria, including the Nigeria Revenue Service, state internal revenue services, the Federal Capital Territory Internal Revenue Service, local government revenue committees, tax practitioners, and taxpayers.
The government said the reforms form part of broader efforts to create a transparent, efficient, and modern tax system that will improve revenue collection, encourage voluntary compliance, attract investment, and support long-term economic growth.
As implementation of the Tax Acts 2025 continues, the newly released guidelines are expected to play a crucial role in helping individuals and businesses navigate Nigeria’s evolving tax landscape with greater confidence and certainty.
