Deadline Extensions Won’t Solve Nigeria’s Broken Tax System
The FCT-IRS, LIRS and seven other states have quietly pushed back their tax filing deadlines. At first glance it seems like a win for taxpayers. But will an extra 14 or 30 days change anything when the system itself is flawed? Most Nigerians don’t even know the new NTAA 2025 rules. The Consolidated Relief Allowance is gone and evidence-based filing is now mandatory. Many still think tax only comes off their salary. More time won’t help people who don’t know what to file. Meanwhile, power shortages force businesses to spend scarce funds on fuel instead of taxes. Political distractions and court battles erode trust. Insecurity in Plateau, Edo and Kwara makes survival the daily priority. Tax compliance is secondary when safety is at risk. Extending deadlines is a shallow fix. We need a moratorium on penalties. We need tax education in schools, markets and community centers. We need mobile tax clinics in local markets. Until the system shows real empathy for our current economic wahala, we’ll face the same deadline panic next year.
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