The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has called off its planned nationwide protest against the newly enacted Tax Reform Act following extensive consultations with key government agencies, including the Nigerian Revenue Service (NRS), the Department of State Services (DSS), and the National Assembly.
The protest, which was earlier scheduled for January 14, 2026, was intended to halt the implementation of the law pending wider public sensitisation and a legislative review.
In a communiqué issued at the end of its maiden Expanded National Executive Council (ENEC) meeting, NANS President, Olushola Oladoja, said the association had been adequately briefed by officials of the NRS and members of the National Assembly on the objectives, scope, and safeguards embedded in the law.
According to Oladoja, the engagement followed the conclusion of the National Assembly’s investigation into the Tax Reform Act, the report of which has since been published.
“Following the conclusion of the National Assembly’s investigation, the Expanded National Executive Council of NANS, in collaboration with all structural student bodies, provided a platform for tax experts from the NRS to educate student leaders, clarify grey areas, and respond comprehensively to concerns raised by the Nigerian masses about the new Tax Reform Law,” he said.
After extensive deliberations, NANS resolved that the law was not designed to target the poor but to promote fairness in tax contributions across income groups.
The communiqué stated that the Tax Reform Act is “a deliberate and well-intentioned law aimed at improving Nigeria’s economy, strengthening institutional frameworks for revenue generation, with clear provisions to protect low-income earners and vulnerable citizens.”
It added that the law “strengthens social protection while ensuring that higher-income earners contribute more equitably to national revenue, thereby preventing lopsidedness and excessive tax burdens on a limited segment of the population.”
Consequently, NANS announced the cancellation of the planned protest.
“Based on the above resolutions, NANS hereby calls off the proposed nationwide protest earlier scheduled for 14th January, 2026,” Oladoja declared.
The association also pledged to collaborate with the Federal Government and the NRS on public enlightenment efforts to improve citizens’ understanding of the law. It further passed a vote of confidence on the Executive Chairman of the NRS, Zacch Adedeji, and commended President Bola Tinubu for what it described as student-friendly policies.
The ENEC meeting was attended by presidents and senate presidents of national student associations from universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education, alongside female student leaders and campus coordinators representing all six geopolitical zones.