The Fiscal Discipline and Development Advocacy Centre (FIDAC) has extended goodwill to Nigerians as the country steps into 2026, calling for a renewed national commitment to accountability, collective responsibility, and the restoration of public trust.
In a New Year statement issued by the Executive Director of FIDAC, Dr. Abdussalam Muhammad Kani, said 2026 must be firmly anchored on transparency, responsive governance, and people-centred development, stressing that both citizens and institutions have critical roles to play in rebuilding confidence in public governance.
Reflecting on 2025, FIDAC noted that the year was marked by difficult reforms, mixed outcomes, and intense socio-economic pressures.
According to the statement, Nigeria navigated a challenging policy environment shaped by fuel subsidy removal, exchange rate adjustments, rising inflation, and sharp cost-of-living shocks, which were deeply felt by ordinary Nigerians despite being presented as necessary fiscal corrections.
FIDAC expressed particular concern over persistent insecurity, which it said continued to undermine economic productivity, food security, and social cohesion across many parts of the country.
When combined with unemployment, inflationary pressures, and gaps in public service delivery, insecurity remained one of the most significant obstacles to inclusive growth and fiscal sustainability throughout 2025.
FIDAC also referenced the position of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) that Nigerians became poorer in 2025, noting that escalating food prices, transportation costs, and energy expenses significantly eroded household purchasing power.
Workers, small businesses, and vulnerable groups, it said, bore a disproportionate share of the economic burden.
Despite these challenges, FIDAC acknowledged that 2025 was also a year of reform and institutional recalibration, particularly in public finance and taxation.
It commended government efforts to diversify revenue sources, strengthen tax administration, and invest in key sectors such as agriculture, infrastructure, and human capital development, describing them as steps in the right direction if matched with discipline, transparency, and effective implementation.
On taxation, FIDAC said the new tax reforms were introduced to improve revenue mobilization, reduce fiscal leakages, and enhance transparency.
While admitting that the short-term impact imposed significant hardship on citizens, the group expressed cautious optimism that well-designed, fairly administered, and transparently implemented tax reforms could yield long-term benefits for national development.
However, FIDAC warned that reform without accountability could deepen public distrust. It raised serious concerns over allegations of discrepancies between the versions of the Tax Reform Acts passed by the National Assembly and those subsequently gazetted, stressing that such claims, whether substantiated or not, highlight the urgent need for legislative integrity, procedural transparency, and public clarity in the law-making process.
As Nigeria enters 2026, FIDAC urged citizens to remain vigilant and demand full transparency in the implementation of the new tax laws, reject any tax provisions not duly passed by both chambers of the National Assembly, and insist that taxation must be lawful, equitable, and grounded in due process.
FIDAC also called on the Nigeria Revenue Service to intensify inclusive public education on the tax laws, simplify and translate them into major Nigerian languages, and prioritize taxpayer rights, fairness, and clarity in enforcement.
Looking ahead, FIDAC appealed to the government to govern transparently and place citizens at the centre of reform outcomes, urged civil society and the media to remain vigilant in holding power to account, and encouraged Nigerians to stay informed and engaged.
According to FIDAC, with shared sacrifice, principled leadership, and collective responsibility, 2026 could become a turning point marked by restored confidence, stronger institutions, and a more equitable future for Nigeria.
