New tax laws: Commercial drivers still face multiple highway taxes — NURTW

…Tax Ombud pledges fairness, transparency in tax administration By Emma Ujah, Abuja Bureau Chief Commercial drivers across Nigeria are still being subjected to multiple highway taxes despite the Federal Government’s tax reforms aimed at eliminating the practice, the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) has said. The union lamented that a driver travelling from Calabar to Kano could spend as much as ₦300,000 on the road on various taxes and levies imposed by different collectors.

The NURTW made the allegation at a stakeholders’ engagement forum on tax administration in Abuja on Friday, calling on the three tiers of government to urgently end the practice, which it said was imposing a heavy burden on transport operators and undermining the economy. Speaking on behalf of the union’s National President, Alh. Musiliu Akinsanya, popularly known as MC Oluomo, Suleiman Danzaki, the Senior Special Adviser on Intergovernmental and International Affairs, said commercial drivers were yet to experience any significant change in the multiple taxation of their operations nationwide.

“A driver travelling from Calabar to Kano will spend as much as ₦300,000 on the road before he can get to his destination because of the various people on the road collecting various types of taxes,” Danzaki said. He expressed concern that, apart from overburdening transport operators, the practice could also be depriving governments of revenue, as some collectors allegedly issued receipts printed privately rather than official government receipts.

Danzaki urged the federal, state and local governments to take immediate and coordinated action to eliminate multiple taxation, warning that the burden on commercial drivers had wider implications for the cost of transportation, the movement of goods and the nation’s economy. However, the Tax Ombud, Dr. John Nwabueze, assured taxpayers that his office was working to promote fairness, transparency and accountability in the country’s tax administration.

Nwabueze spoke at the forum, themed “Promoting Fairness in Tax and Revenue Administration in Nigeria,” which was organised to gather complaints and identify challenges confronting taxpayers, with a view to improving compliance and ensuring a more efficient tax system. He said the tax reforms, which commenced in January 2026, were designed to simplify compliance, strengthen revenue mobilisation, support eligible small businesses and promote transparency and accountability.

However, he stressed that the success of the reforms would depend not only on the quality of the laws but also on their fair and consistent implementation. “Fairness is not a favour to taxpayers; it is the foundation of public trust and sustainable revenue mobilisation,” he said. According to him, taxpayers are more likely to comply voluntarily when they are treated fairly, understand their obligations and have access to impartial channels for resolving disputes.

Conversely, he warned that arbitrary assessments, overlapping levies and inconsistent enforcement could undermine public confidence in the tax system. Nwabueze said the establishment of the Office of the Tax Ombud under the Joint Revenue Board of Nigeria (Establishment) Act, 2025, marked a significant milestone in protecting taxpayers’ rights and strengthening accountability in tax administration.

He said the office was mandated to promote lawful, reasonable, transparent and fair administrative processes while encouraging constructive dialogue and accountability among taxpayers and revenue authorities. Since its establishment, he added, the office had made progress in developing a digital complaints management framework, building stakeholder partnerships, introducing taxpayer education initiatives and establishing a dedicated call centre.

“Our priority now is to expand access, strengthen operational capacity and ensure that taxpayers know where to turn when they experience administrative difficulties,” he said. The Tax Ombud identified five pillars of fairness required to balance the government’s revenue needs with the rights and dignity of taxpayers. They are equity and proportionality; procedural justice; professionalism, courtesy and respect in tax administration; transparency and accountability; and the protection of vulnerable taxpayers.

He urged tax authorities to translate the principles into practical improvements in taxpayers’ everyday experiences by applying the law consistently, communicating obligations clearly and treating taxpayers with dignity. The engagement came amid concerns over the effectiveness of tax reforms in addressing longstanding complaints about multiple levies, overlapping demands and the conduct of revenue collectors across the country.