The federal government says it has no immediate plans to implement the 5 percent fuel surcharge contained in the newly signed tax administration Act 2025.
Wale Edun, minister of finance and coordinating minister of the economy, spoke at a news conference in Abuja on Tuesday.
The minister’s response comes after several concerns about the implementation.
On September 7, the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) rejected the federal government’s proposed 5 percent tax on petroleum products, describing it as “economic wickedness” against already overburdened Nigerians.
According to the minister, the surcharge’s inclusion in the 2025 Act is part of efforts to consolidate and harmonise existing laws for clarity and ease of compliance.
“It is important to make this distinction, the inclusion of the surcharge in the 2025 Nigeria Tax Administration Act does not mean an automatic introduction of new tax. It doesn’t mean fresh taxation automatically,” Edun said.
The minister said the new law would not take effect until January 1, 2026, and even then, any implementation of the surcharge would require a formal commencement order by the minister of finance, published in an official gazette.
