MSSN Raises Concern Over FG ‘Unfair’ Tax Reforms, Warns of Growing Public Distrust

The Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria (MSSN) has expressed concern over recent policy decisions by the Federal Government, including proposed tax reforms, warning that such measures could deepen public distrust if issues of fairness, justice and inclusivity are not properly addressed.

The Islamic students’ body made this known in a statement on Saturday during the opening ceremony of its B-Zone Islamic Vacation Course (IVC), held at the proposed permanent site of Al-Ummah University along the Ibadan–Lagos Expressway, Onigari, Ogun State.

Speaking at the event, the National President of the Society, Mallam Tajudeen Mustapha, said Nigeria is currently grappling with multiple challenges, including economic hardship, insecurity, moral decline and leadership deficits. He warned that policies perceived as unjust further erode citizens’ confidence in governance.

Mustapha noted that taxation itself was not the main issue, but rather the growing lack of trust in how public resources are managed.

He expressed concern that reforms, particularly those touching on taxation, raise questions of equity and sovereignty, making citizens increasingly sceptical and disengaged.

The MSSN national leadership stressed that responsible governance is not optional, urging authorities to ensure that policies are anchored on justice, transparency and accountability in order to rebuild public trust.

Delivering a lecture titled “We Are All Responsible,” Dr Taofeek Abdul-Hameed, Imam of the Muslim Community, Federal Polytechnic Ede, Osun State, and Rector of Federal Polytechnic Ayede, Oyo State, said responsibility applies to all members of society without exception.

Abdul-Hameed explained that social injustice, corruption, insecurity and moral decay persist when individuals and leaders fail to act responsibly, adding that silence in the face of wrongdoing amounts to complicity.

He stressed that accountability in Islam covers actions, words and inactions, noting that parents, leaders, youths and professionals all share responsibility for societal outcomes.

Politics Nigeria recalls that President Bola Tinubu, in June, signed into law a comprehensive package of tax reform legislation, marking one of the most significant overhauls of Nigeria’s fiscal framework in decades.

The new tax regime, scheduled to take effect in January 2026, has generated widespread concern and anxiety among Nigerians.

Despite assurances from the Federal Government that the reforms will strengthen fiscal policy and deliver long-term benefits, critics argue that the measures could worsen the economic hardship currently facing many Nigerians.