The National Opposition Movement (NOM) on Wednesday called for the immediate suspension of the Federal Government’s proposed new tax regime, describing it as “an assault on the livelihood of ordinary Nigerians” rather than a genuine reform.
Addressing a press conference at the Shehu Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja, NOM leaders said the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was pushing the country towards what they termed “multidimensional failure,” marked by worsening insecurity, deepening poverty and declining quality of life.
According to the spokesperson of the group, Hon.Chille Igbawua, Nigerians are currently grappling with widespread hunger, homelessness, unemployment and rising costs of living, while insecurity has made travel across many parts of the country unsafe. NOM argued that, despite these conditions, the Federal Government was prioritising political and elite economic interests over the welfare and security of citizens.
“The situation in Nigeria today is terrible. Many Nigerians can barely afford food, transport, electricity bills or rent,” the group said, adding that global indices now rank Nigeria among countries with the lowest quality of life, even below some of its West African neighbours.
Prominent members of the NOM include Atiku Abubakar: Former Vice President.; Peter Obi: Labour Party’s 2023 Presidential Candidate;Nasir El-Rufai: Former Governor of Kaduna State; Rauf Aregbesola: Former Governor of Osun State, former Minister;David Mark: Former Senate President, former Military Governor; Rotimi Amaechi: Former Minister, ally of Tinubu turned critic; Aminu Tambuwal: Former Governor of Sokoto State, former Speaker, House of Representatives; Sule Lamido: Former Governor of Jigawa State, former Foreign Minister; and Uche Secondus: Former National Chairman of the PDP.
NOM said its emergence reflects growing concern among “patriotic citizens” about what it described as incompetence, corruption and authoritarian tendencies under the Tinubu administration. The movement said it would serve as a watchdog, monitoring developments around security, prosperity and governance, and amplifying the voices of citizens affected by government policies.
The group commended a “select group of leaders” who recently spoke out against what it called tyranny, as well as organised labour, particularly the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), for opposing economic policies that they say have led to mass impoverishment.
New Tax Law Under Fire
Central to NOM’s criticism is the new tax law scheduled to take effect in January 2026. Under the policy, all adults of taxable age—whether employed or unemployed—would be required to file annual tax returns between January 1 and March 31, with penalties for non-compliance. Employers would also be required to file returns for all employees, including those earning below the taxable threshold, while possession of a Tax Identification Number (TIN) would be mandatory.
NOM described these provisions as “mindless and exploitative,” arguing that they fail to take into account Nigeria’s high unemployment rate, poor internet access and weak institutional capacity.
“In a country with over 70 million unemployed people and weak service delivery, this amounts to setting up an exploitative racket against innocent Nigerians,” the group said.
The movement also claimed that Nigerians earning below the minimum wage would be disproportionately affected, coming on the heels of fuel subsidy removal, rising electricity tariffs, currency depreciation and food inflation.
Beyond the tax policy, NOM accused the Tinubu administration of presiding over widespread corruption, lack of transparency and what it termed “state capture.” It alleged that key revenue agencies, including the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) and the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), were riddled with corruption.
The group questioned the decision by FIRS to enter into a memorandum of understanding with a French agency on tax administration without publicly disclosing the details, arguing that such secrecy undermines public trust and national interest.
NOM also cited unresolved corruption allegations involving former senior government officials and referenced recent public accusations of corruption against a top regulator by a prominent private sector figure, describing the development as unprecedented in Nigeria’s history.
The opposition movement criticised what it described as the President’s approach to leadership, alleging a lack of respect for social contract, due process and institutional norms. It referenced recent comments by Nobel laureate Professor Wole Soyinka, who reportedly expressed concern over what he described as the “privatisation of the Nigerian state,” including the visibility and influence of the President’s family in public affairs.
According to NOM, higher taxes under the current administration have not translated into improved public services such as healthcare, education, security or job creation. Instead, the group alleged that revenues are being used to sustain a bloated government and elite lifestyles.
NOM outlined five key demands:
• Immediate suspension of the new tax plan’s implementation.
• Nationwide consultations involving labour unions, civil society, small and medium enterprises, professionals and state governments.
• Clear social protection measures tied to any tax reform.
• A shift towards taxing luxury consumption, excess profits, monopolies and corruption rather than poverty.
• Strong legal safeguards to protect taxpayers’ rights.
The movement argued that Nigeria’s core problem is not low taxation but waste, corruption and policy arrogance, warning that “you do not fix government failure by billing the victims.”
In its closing remarks, NOM said it stands with workers, traders, professionals and small business owners, vowing to resist policies that “punish the poor to excuse leadership failure.” While insisting that its position was not a threat, the group warned that forcing through the tax plan without consultation could have serious social and economic consequences.
“Nigeria is hurting, and suffering Nigerians have limits,” NOM said, urging the government to de-escalate tensions, respect dissenting voices and refocus on governance that prioritises the welfare of citizens.
The Federal Government had not responded to the statements as at the time of filing this report.■
