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21 states adopt harmonised taxes, levies
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From Adanna Nnamani, Abuja
Nigeria recorded a 27 per cent increase in tax revenue generated by 23 states between January and June 2026, compared with the revenue performance of the same states during the corresponding period of 2025.
The Executive Secretary of the Joint Revenue Board (JRB), Olusegun Adesokan, disclosed this while highlighting early gains from the implementation of the new tax laws, which took effect on January 1, 2026.
Adesokan said the revenue growth reflected efforts to improve tax administration, expand the tax base and ensure that high-income earners paid their fair share, rather than placing excessive tax burdens on low-income earners.
He also disclosed that 21 states had adopted the harmonised taxes and levies framework designed to tackle multiple taxation and promote uniformity in revenue administration across the country.
According to him, the framework was developed in collaboration with the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms to streamline the numerous taxes and levies imposed by state and local governments.
Adesokan explained that the harmonisation initiative was intended to reduce the burden of multiple taxation on businesses and individuals while making the tax system simpler, more transparent and easier to comply with.
He said the reforms were guided by the principle of taxing prosperity rather than poverty, adding that the government’s focus was to ensure that people with greater financial capacity contributed appropriately to national development.
The JRB executive secretary noted that data from 23 states showed that about 92 per cent of income earners were paying lower taxes or no personal income tax under the new regime.
He said the changes were expected to leave more money in the hands of low- and middle-income earners while encouraging businesses to expand, create jobs and improve economic activities.
Adesokan said the reforms were also supported by the introduction of a National Tax Identification Number (Tax ID), developed in collaboration with the Nigerian Revenue Service (NRD) and state internal revenue services.
He explained that the unified Tax ID would enable revenue authorities to access and verify taxpayers’ records across state boundaries, reducing the difficulties associated with verifying tax compliance and helping to prevent multiple taxation.
According to him, taxpayers can retrieve their Tax IDs through the designated online portals using their personal details, while existing tax identification records are being linked to the national system.
The JRB executive secretary further disclosed that the board was working with relevant authorities, including the police, to address illegal levies and other activities contributing to the cost of transporting goods across the country.
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He identified illegal collections along transport routes as one of the factors contributing to high transportation costs, which ultimately affect the prices of food and other essential commodities.
He added that the board had issued guidelines to promote uniform tax administration and was working with state authorities to improve compliance with the harmonised framework.
Adesokan stressed that the reforms were not designed to introduce additional taxes but to simplify existing tax structures, improve fairness and strengthen revenue collection.
He said the success of the new tax regime should be measured by its ability to support business growth, generate employment and improve the welfare of Nigerians.
“I’m sure that everybody has heard of the vision. The vision is to tax prosperity, not poverty. Tax the fruit, not the seed. We should tax returns, not investments.
“We call our own principles ‘FEAT’: taxes that are fair, equitable, accountable and transparent. Fairness and equity go together.
“As I said, the tax system must treat Nigerians fairly without partiality. We must not overburden Nigerians with taxes. We must be mindful that Nigerians should not be subjected to taxation beyond what is fair.
“One of the early outcomes we are looking to see is that the reforms are putting more money into the pockets of Nigerians. It is putting more money into the pockets of Nigerians.
“After this year, from the returns we got from 23 states, when compared to their performance last year, the same 23 states, we’ve seen a 27 per cent increase. This is between January and June this year.
“One of our mandates, I mentioned earlier, is the harmonisation of taxes, levies and rates, charges across the country, and ensuring uniformity in revenue administration.
“In conjunction with the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, we developed a model of harmonisation of taxes and levies. We passed it around the states for adoption.
“One of the things it addresses is the issue of multiple taxation at the sub-national level, and it’s a major problem. People complain about high taxes, or some taxes being collected. Sometimes, the state government will collect the same thing. So what we have done is we have harmonised all the multiple taxes into just nine.
“In this reform, government has not introduced any new tax. No new tax has been introduced. Rather, we have harmonised multiple tax systems into single digits.
“The success of tax reform will continue to be measured not by taxes being removed, but by businesses being able to grow, jobs being created and prosperity being shared.”
The JRB, formerly known as the Joint Tax Board (JTB), received an expanded statutory mandate under the Joint Revenue Board Establishment Act 2025, including the harmonisation of taxes and levies, resolution of disputes between tax authorities and coordination of tax-related data across the federation.
