Nigerians reject IMF telecom, fuel tax proposals, cite hardship

Nigerians have reacted angrily to the International Monetary Fund’s recommendation that the government introduce new taxes on telecommunications services and petroleum products to boost revenue. The IMF’s Article IV report on Nigeria, released recently, suggested the taxes as part of broader fiscal reforms. Although the government has said the recommendations are not binding and that tax decisions must follow constitutional processes, citizens warn the measures would worsen hardship. Dele Oye, chairman of the Alliance for Economic Research and Ethics, argued that tax revenue already rose over 180% from ₦10.1 trillion in 2022 to ₦28.3 trillion in 2025, and that taxing fuel and telecoms would burden the 140 million Nigerians living below the poverty line. Lagos lawyer Bolu Oyeniyi urged the government to improve tax administration, cut governance costs, and block revenue leakages instead of imposing new levies. Lanre Adebowale of the Lagos State Ministry of Commerce warned that following IMF advice again would repeat the painful Structural Adjustment Programme of 1986, which he said devastated the economy. With fuel already selling above ₦1,200 per litre and data costs among the world’s highest, many fear additional taxes would deepen inflation and stifle business growth.

Given these concerns, what alternative revenue‑raising measures do you think the government should pursue to fund development without overburdening already strained households and businesses?

SOURCE: https://dailypost.ng/2026/06/23/nigerians-raise-concerns-over-imfs-proposed-telecoms-petrol-taxes/