Adult Nigerians Divided on New Tax Policy: New Poll Reveals Deep Opposition and Trust Deficit
- 17 hours ago
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Abuja, Nigeria. March 26th, 2026 – A new public opinion poll conducted by NOIPolls has revealed that Nigerians are divided over the Federal Government’s new tax policy, with high awareness gap regarding the specifics of the policy. While 63 percent of Nigerians acknowledge the introduction of the new tax policy, their understanding of its intricacies remains shallow, with 38 percent admitting they have not heard much about the details.
Furthermore, the poll revealed significant public apprehension toward the policy, with 54 percent of Nigerians strongly opposing and 47 percent expecting a very negative impact on their personal finances. The survey also revealed a notable trust deficit, with 44 percent of respondents lacking confidence that the revenue generated will be used for national development. To encourage voluntary compliance, respondents stated that improving public infrastructure and public services (31 percent) and job creation (22 percent), are key priorities. These findings suggest that the government must urgently prioritize transparent communication, equitable implementation, and tangible development outcomes to garner public support for the new tax regime. These are some of the key findings from the Proposed New Tax Policy Poll conducted in the week commencing March 2nd, 2026.
Background
In response to the Federal Government’s recent introduction of a new national tax framework, NOIPolls conducted a nationwide survey to gauge public awareness, understanding, and perception of the new tax policy. The initiative aimed to capture the sentiments of Nigerians across key demographic segments, including gender, geo-political zones, and age groups.
The introduction of new tax measures often elicits strong public reactions, particularly in an economic climate characterized by financial uncertainty. Understanding citizens' perspectives is crucial for policymakers to ensure that the tax system is not only effective in generating revenue but also perceived as fair and equitable. This report presents a detailed analysis of the poll findings, categorized into three key themes: Awareness and Understanding, Perception and Economic Impact, and Trust, Fairness, and Compliance. The findings provide valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities facing the government in its efforts to reform the tax system and improve compliance.
Survey Findings
The survey indicates a relatively high level of general awareness regarding the new tax policy. Nationwide, 63 percent of respondents confirmed they are aware of the new tax policy, while 37 percent remain unaware. A demographic breakdown shows that awareness is higher among males (68 percent) compared to females (59 percent). Regionally, the North-West zone recorded the highest level of awareness at 72 percent, while the South-South reported the lowest at 56 percent. Across age groups, awareness is highest among individuals aged 36–60 years (66 percent), suggesting that the working-age population is more aware of fiscal policy developments.
Although general awareness is high, the depth of comprehension concerning the policy's specifics is notably lacking. When asked about their understanding, 38 percent of the respondents said they "have not heard much about it." The most recognized part, "Salary and Income tax deductions", was cited by 17 percent, followed by "Bank transaction deductions" at 12 percent. Other mentions include "Burden on the poor" and "High-income earners taxed more" (both 8 percent). Only a marginal percentage of respondents associated the policy with positive outcomes such as "National development" (5 percent) and "Revenue generation" (3 percent).
Social media, particularly Facebook, was the dominant source of information for 44 percent of Nigerians about the new tax law. Traditional media (TV and Radio) informs 27 percent, and 17 percent learned about the tax reform through friends, family, or colleagues. Interestingly, older demographics (61+ years) rely heavily on TV/Radio (58 percent), while the younger population (18-35 years) predominantly utilizes social media (51 percent).
Public sentiment towards the introduction of the new tax policy is largely negative. On a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 represents strong opposition, 54 percent of Nigerians nationwide stated they are "Strongly opposed" to the policy. An additional 8 percent are "Somewhat Opposed." Conversely, only 12 percent express strong support, and 10 percent offer somewhat support. Opposition is particularly pronounced in the South-East (63 percent) and North-West (60 percent) zones.
The apprehension extends to the expected impact on individual economic well-being. Nearly half of the respondents (47 percent) believe the new tax policy will have a "Very Negative" effect on their personal finances, with another 19 percent anticipating a "Somewhat Negative" impact. Only 10 percent foresee a "Very Positive" outcome. The fear of negative financial consequences is highest in the South-East zone, where 58 percent expect a very negative impact.
Views on the policy's broader economic implications are slightly more complex but remain predominantly pessimistic. While 30 percent of respondents expect a "Very Negative" impact on the Nigerian economy and 10 percent foresee a "Somewhat Negative" effect, a notable 25 percent believe the impact will be "Very Positive." This suggests a segment of the population recognizes potential long-term macroeconomic benefits, even if they fear short-term personal financial strain.
A significant majority of Nigerians believe that the proposed tax framework is inequitable. According to the poll, 42 percent of respondents consider the policy to be “very unfair” to all Nigerians, while 20 percent view it as "somewhat unfair." Only 11 percent of participants think it is "Very fair." This perception of unfairness is consistent across most demographics, indicating a widespread belief that the tax burden may not be equitably distributed.
The low national historical tax compliance rates[1] highlight the challenges that lie ahead. Prior to the new tax law, 51 percent of respondents claimed they "always" filed and paid their personal income taxes or other forms of tax regularly. However, 30 percent admitted they "never" paid taxes, and 12 percent paid only "sometimes." Compliance was notably higher in the South-West (65 percent) and South-East (58 per cent) zones, and lowest in the North-East (41 percent) and among the 18-35 age group (39 percent). Gender disparities were evident, with a higher proportion of men (57 percent) reporting that they consistently paid personal income taxes prior to the introduction of the new tax laws, compared to women (45 percent).
A significant barrier to tax compliance is the lack of trust in the government's management of public funds. A substantial 44 percent of Nigerians are "Not confident at all" that the revenue generated from the new taxes will be used for national development, such as improving infrastructure and social services. In contrast, only 20 percent expressed being "very confident." The trust deficit is particularly pronounced in the South-South (51 percent) and South East (50 percent) zones.
When asked how the government can encourage voluntary tax compliance, the most common recommendation was "Improve Infrastructure and public services," which was cited by 31 percent of respondents. This was closely followed by the need to "create employment opportunities" (22 percent) and "improve economic conditions" (10 percent). Additionally, 9 percent of participants emphasized the importance of transparency and accountability in governance as crucial factors in fostering a culture of voluntary tax payment.
Conclusion
The poll presents a clear mandate for the Federal Government of Nigeria as it navigates the implementation of the new tax policy. While most Nigerians are aware of the impending changes, this awareness is accompanied by a profound lack of detail, leading to widespread opposition and fear of negative financial impacts. The prevailing perception that the policy is unfair, combined with a significant lack of confidence in the government's commitment to utilizing tax revenues for national development, poses a substantial threat to successful implementation and compliance.
To bridge this gap, the government must prioritize comprehensive public education campaigns that clarify the specifics of the tax policy and address citizens' concerns. More importantly, building trust is paramount. The findings unequivocally show that Nigerians are willing to contribute to the nation's coffers if they see tangible returns on their investment. By visibly improving infrastructure, enhancing public services, creating jobs, and demonstrating unwavering transparency and accountability, the government can transform public apprehension into cooperative compliance, ultimately achieving its revenue generation and national development goals.
Survey Methods
The opinion poll was conducted in the week commencing March 2nd, 2026. It involved computer assisted telephone interviews (CATI) of a proportionate nationwide sample of 1,000 randomly selected phone-owning Nigerians aged 18 years and above, representing the six geo-political regions and 36 states and the FCT of the country. Interviews were conducted in 4 Nigerian languages: Igbo, Hausa, Yoruba, Pidgin English, and the English Language. Although we can say with 95% confidence that the results obtained were statistically precise – within a margin of error of plus or minus 4.65%; we recognize that the exclusive use of telephone polling has its limitation of excluding non-phone-owning Nigerians.
NOIPolls Limited, No. 1 for country-specific polling services in West Africa. We conduct periodic opinion polls and studies on various socio-economic and political issues in Nigeria. More information is available at www.noi-polls.com.
Disclaimer
This press release has been issued by NOIPolls Limited to share information related to the topics covered in the document. We encourage the public to use and distribute our poll results, provided that NOIPolls is credited as the source whenever our poll data are referenced, cited, or published.
NOIPolls confirms that the opinions expressed in this document accurately reflect the views of the surveyed respondents. The background information provided is sourced from various sources considered reliable; however, we do not guarantee its absolute accuracy or completeness. While thorough due diligence has been exercised in preparing this document, NOIPolls disclaims any responsibility or liability for errors, factual inaccuracies, or opinions contained herein. Any ratings, forecasts, estimates, opinions, or views included are judgments made as of the date of this document. If the date of this document is outdated, the views and content may no longer align with NOIPolls' prevailing findings or insights.
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