Christians have been urged to embrace the new tax regime introduced by the Federal Government programmed ti be operational from January 1, 2026.
The charge was made by the Rivers State Internal Revenue Service (RIRS) and other financial professionals made the call at a special public seminar with the theme: The Nigeria New Tax Law
organized by the Rivers State Mega Region Empowerment Group of Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM) held at the South-South Region 1 Headquarters, Rumuola, Port Harcourt on Saturday.
On June 26, 2025, President Bola Tinubu signed four specific Acts signed, which include: the Nigeria Tax Act (NTA), 2025; Nigeria Tax Administration Act (NTAA), 2025; Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Act (NRSA), 2025 and the Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Act (JRBA), 2025.
The experts who were drawn from public and private organizations, stressed that payment of tax is the civic responsibility for every citizen, warning that evading payment is an offence.
According to the experts, church’s offerings and tithes in particular, are not taxable, except contracts awarded by churches are payable.
Speaking on the topic “Payee and other taxes in Rivers State”, an official of the RIRS, Godgift Ebelogu, said the new tax law is not targeted at increasing citizens’ burden, but is people-friendly, especially for businessmen and women.
Ebelogu advised residents and people doing business in the state, to obtain their Tax Identification Number (TIN) for seamless operation and transaction.
He advised Rivers residents and Nigerians in general, to be conscious of the new tax regime that would come into effect on January 1, 2026, saying that tax evaders would be sanctioned.
Also, he disclosed that in Rivers, some of the following taxes would be expected by residents and business owners – property tax, marine tax, Economic Development Levy (by companies), Solid Waste (Sanitation) tax, business premises tax and poll betting tax.
The RIRS official regretted that the new tax regime would negatively affect revenue generation because people whose annual remuneration is below N800,000 are exempted from payment.
Ebelogu admitted that tax payment is evaded, but advised Christians to live by example, by obeying the Biblical injunction in Mark 12:17, where Jesus Christ said, “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”
He emphasized that Nigerians should accept the new tax law, which is for their good, adding that enforcement would not be applied if citizens could comply with government policies and programmes.
Giving an overview of Nigeria Tax Law 2025, Mr. Solomon Imonikhe, enjoined Nigerians to brace up for the implementation of the tax law in 2026, and not claim ignorance of its existence.
He advised that from next year, people should make proper documentation of transactions made and highlight the purpose for their transactions.
According to him, President Tinubu signed the four new tax Acts into law, as part of a major reform initiative to “modernize and streamline Nigeria’s complex tax system, boost government revenue, improve the business environment, and ensure fair tax administration. The Acts are set to take effect from January 1, 2026.
”The primary objectives for signing these Acts were to address long-standing issues within the Nigerian fiscal framework and support the administration’s economic policies.”
Imonikhe further advised that members of the public should be conscious of their business transactions, stressing that there would no longer be a hiding place for tax evaders.
Meanwhile, Mr. Ike Ukwuoma, who spoke on Tax Identification Number (TIN) and Nigerian Tax Law, said, while urging taxable adults to perform this civic responsibility, charged the government to play its role by providing necessary amenities for which tax is paid.
In his closing remarks, the Mega Senior Regional Overseer (Mega SRO), Olawole Dahunsi, urged the participants to embrace the new tax regime, as it becomes Federal Government’s fiscal policy in 2026.
Dahunsi thanked the resource persons for enlightening members of the public on the new tax law and called for wider dissemination of the information.
