The youth wing of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has issued a seven-day ultimatum to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, demanding the suspension of the newly assented 2025 Tax Acts, which it described as unconstitutional, economically punitive, and a threat to Nigeria’s data sovereignty.
The ultimatum follows a protest by the group at the National Assembly on 23 December, during which it submitted a dossier alleging irregularities in the tax legislation process and warning of mass resistance if its demands are ignored .
In a statement signed by its National Youth Leader, Balarabe Rufai, and released on Saturday, the ADC Youth Wing accused the federal government of using tax reforms to “institutionalise fiscal extraction” at a time when youth unemployment and small business failures remain widespread.
Allegations of legislative manipulation
Central to the group’s grievances are claims that certain provisions in the tax laws were inserted after legislative approval, without being debated or voted on by lawmakers.
The youth wing specifically cited Section 41(8), which requires taxpayers to deposit 20 per cent of disputed tax assessments before filing an appeal, and Section 60, which allegedly grants arrest powers to tax officials.
“These clauses amount to legislative forgery and undermine the right of citizens to seek legal redress,” the group said, calling for the withdrawal of what it described as “forged gazettes” and the restoration of the version of the bill passed on the floor of the National Assembly .
The National Assembly has not publicly responded to the allegations as of Saturday evening.
Concerns over data sovereignty
The ADC Youth Wing also criticised a memorandum of understanding reportedly signed on 10 December between the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and France’s Direction Générale des Finances Publiques (DGFiP).
According to the group, the agreement risks exposing sensitive taxpayer data, including information linked to Bank Verification Numbers and National Identification Numbers, to foreign access.
It described the agreement as a “national security breach” and demanded its immediate annulment, though details of the MoU have not been officially disclosed by the government .
Youth budget and economic impact
The group further argued that the tax framework places a disproportionate burden on young Nigerians and small businesses, pointing to what it said was a ₦14 billion allocation to the Ministry of Youth Development in contrast with higher spending on government overheads and discretionary projects.
“The laws, if implemented, will cripple youth-led enterprises and deepen economic exclusion,” the statement said .
Ultimatum and threat of action
The ADC Youth Wing gave the presidency until the close of business on 3 January 2026 to suspend enforcement of the tax laws, reverse the disputed provisions, and cancel the FIRS-France agreement.
Failure to do so, it warned, would trigger what it termed “legitimate national resistance,” including a nationwide taxpayer strike and coordinated protests at revenue-generating institutions across the country .
Neither the presidency nor the Federal Ministry of Finance responded to requests for comment by the time of filing this report.
