FG Issues Transition Guidelines For Implementation Of Tax Acts 2025

The Federal Government has released comprehensive guidelines to facilitate the transition from Nigeria’s repealed tax laws to the newly enacted Tax Acts 2025, which will take effect from January 1, 2026.

The guidelines, issued by the Federal Ministry of Finance, provide direction to taxpayers, tax practitioners, revenue authorities, and other stakeholders on handling issues arising during the shift from the old tax regime to the new framework.

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. The laws will take effect on their respective commencement dates, with the Nigeria Tax Act becoming operational on January 1, 2026.

The guidelines clarify that 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disputes, and enforcement actions relating to periods before January 1, 2026, will continue to be governed by the repealed tax laws.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 previous legal framework, while returns for periods ending from January 1, 2026, onward will fall under the new tax regime.

The document also addresses the treatment of income taxes, transaction taxes, development levies, tax incentives, exemptions, record-keeping requirements, and transactions that span both the old and new tax systems.

Existing tax incentives and exemptions granted under the repealed laws will remain valid until their expiration dates.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 assessed in accordance with the provisions of the Tax Acts 2025.

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Speaking on the release of the guidelines, the Honourable Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Taiwo Oyedele, described the document as a framework designed to manage transitional issues while ensuring that the new laws are not applied retrospectively.

He noted that the Tax Acts 2025 represent a major milestone in Nigeria’s tax reform agenda and provide clarity on how existing obligations, ongoing matters, and future transactions will be treated under the new regime.

Oyedele stated that the guidelines are built on three key principles—clarity, fairness, and administrative certainty—and are intended to promote uniform implementation across 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 reaffirmed its commitment to building a transparent, efficient, and modern tax system that supports economic growth, strengthens revenue administration, encourages voluntary compliance, and enhances Nigeria’s investment climate.

The guidelines were announced in a statement issued on Thursday by the Director of Press Relations at the Federal Ministry of Finance, Efe Ovuakporie.