The Joint Revenue Board has imposed a nationwide ban on the collection of road taxes, levies and related charges at checkpoints, including the use of road stickers by both state and non-state actors, as part of efforts to sanitise Nigeria’s tax administration and enhance the ease of doing business.
The directive, contained in a communiqué issued after the board’s 158th meeting held in Abuja, represents a major crackdown on unauthorised revenue collection practices that have long plagued Nigerian motorists and businesses.
The board called on the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies to eliminate roadblocks mounted along transport corridors for collecting taxes, levies, rates and charges.
“The board restated its commitment to eradicating the menace of non-state actors in the nation’s revenue administration value-chain,” the communiqué stated, emphasising that such practices undermine the integrity of Nigeria’s tax system and weaken confidence in revenue administration at the state level.
The JRB also banned the design, production, issuance and enforcement of road stickers and similar instruments by both state and non-state actors.
It encouraged Nigerians to resist such levies and report promoters to security authorities for sanctions. The board commended the federal government’s tax reforms, noting their potential for enhanced revenue mobilisation, improved business environment and fiscal sustainability across the federation.
It also praised the transformation of the Joint Tax Board into the Joint Revenue Board, describing it as a step towards more coordinated and efficient national revenue administration.
The meeting emphasised that future tax administration would depend on accurate, comprehensive data and resolved to strengthen data-sharing frameworks and deploy analytics tools to streamline revenue practices.
State governments were urged to expedite the passage of the Harmonised Taxes and Levies (Approved List for Collection) Bill to ensure uniform application of taxes at the sub-national level, aligning with national tax reform objectives.
