ABUJA — The Federal Government has released comprehensive transition guidelines for the implementation of the Tax Acts 2025, providing clarity on how taxpayers, revenue authorities and other stakeholders will migrate from the existing tax regime to the new framework scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2026.
The guidelines, issued by the Federal Ministry of Finance, outline procedures for managing tax obligations, assessments, audits, disputes and compliance matters during the transition period from the repealed tax laws to the new tax system.
According to the ministry, the Tax Acts 2025 comprise the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, the Nigeria Tax Act, the Nigeria Tax Administration Act and the Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Act. While each law takes effect on its respective commencement date, the Nigeria Tax Act will become operational on January 1, 2026.
Under the new framework, tax liabilities, assessments, audits, investigations, disputes and enforcement actions relating to periods before January 1, 2026, will continue to be governed by the repealed tax laws. Similarly, tax returns for accounting periods ending before that date will be filed under the old regime, while returns for accounting periods ending from January 1, 2026, onward will be administered under the new laws.
The guidelines also provide direction on the treatment of income taxes, transaction taxes, development levies, tax incentives, exemptions, record-keeping obligations and transactions that span both the outgoing and incoming tax regimes.
The ministry stated that existing tax incentives and exemptions granted under the repealed laws will remain valid until their expiration dates. However, new applications and pending requests will be considered in line with the provisions of the Tax Acts 2025.
Speaking on the release of the document, the Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Taiwo Oyedele, described the guidelines as a critical framework for addressing transitional issues while ensuring that the new tax laws are not applied retrospectively.
He said the Tax Acts 2025 represent a major milestone in Nigeria’s ongoing tax reform programme and provide a clearer framework for handling existing obligations, ongoing tax matters and future transactions.
According to Oyedele, the guidelines are built on three core principles — clarity, fairness and administrative certainty — to ensure seamless implementation across the country.
He noted that the document is intended to support uniform administration by the Nigeria Revenue Service, State Internal Revenue Services, the FCT Internal Revenue Service, Local Government Revenue Committees, tax practitioners and taxpayers nationwide.
The Federal Government reiterated its commitment to building a transparent, efficient and modern tax system capable of supporting economic growth, strengthening revenue administration, encouraging voluntary tax compliance and enhancing Nigeria’s attractiveness to investors.
The guidelines were announced in a statement issued on Thursday by the Director of Press Relations at the Federal Ministry of Finance, Efe Ovuakporie.
