By Benson Kingsley
From January 1, 2026, Nigerians earning income through remote work, social media influencing, or import-related businesses would be required to pay taxes under the federal government’s sweeping new tax reforms.
The Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, Mr. Taiwo Oyedele, made the disclosure at a tax education session hosted by the Redeemed Christian Church of God, City of David, Lagos. His remarks, captured in a video that has since gone viral on social media, have sparked widespread debate among digital workers and online entrepreneurs.
“If you are a remote worker, you are a worker, right? You just happen to do your work remotely,” he explained. “You may be employed by a company in America, Europe, or anywhere, and you earn a salary. That income is taxable in Nigeria. You are required to self-declare it. Because your employer is not in Nigeria, they don’t care about our tax system. The obligation falls on you.”
He warned that failure to declare such income would attract penalties. “Government can trace the movement of money. If you refuse to declare, they will deem it as your income, charge you tax on it, and add penalties and interest for late payment.”
Mr. Oyedele stressed that social media influencers were equally liable for taxes on earnings made online. “You are influencing online, that’s okay. But once you earn income, you pay tax as well,” he said.
On importers, he noted that reliefs would depend on the nature of their business. “If you are importing, there’s something you’re doing. It’s either trade, manufacturing, or something else. Depending on the business, there are reliefs available for that sector,” he explained.
Responding to fears about overlapping taxes across federal, state, and local governments, Mr. Oyedele clarified that the new law explicitly defines “jurisdiction” for each tier.
“The law states clearly what taxes are payable and who collects them,” he said. “If you are an individual, just worry about personal income tax. If you run a small business, we’ve removed your taxes. For bigger businesses, you should have an accountant. In the new framework, the number of taxes has been reduced significantly to just a few, clearly outlined in the law.”
Mr. Oyedele further explained that upkeep money and personal gifts were exempt from taxation, but payments for services or products automatically carried tax obligations.
Describing the reforms as the “most transformative in the nation’s history,” Oyedele said the framework is designed to simplify compliance, eliminate multiple taxation disputes, and strengthen revenue generation.
