Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, Taiwo Oyedele, has clarified that the 5% surcharge on fuel was not introduced by President Bola Tinubu’s administration but was originally enacted into law in 2007.
Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Tuesday monitored by Tunexreportes, Oyedele explained that the surcharge was not implemented in the past due to the fuel subsidy regime.
“One very important message for people to know is that this surcharge was not introduced by this government. It was introduced in 2007. And then it was not implemented because the government was subsidising fuel,” he said.
In recent days, reports about the supposed introduction of a new surcharge in January had sparked public backlash, with critics faulting the timing amid economic hardship. Civil society groups and labour unions, including the Trade Union Congress (TUC), have threatened mass action if the policy is enforced.
Oyedele further explained that the surcharge was not part of the tax bills signed by President Tinubu earlier this year, noting that it only came up during legislative deliberations. He said the law empowers the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) to collect the levy, with 40% allocated to the Federal Government for road projects and 60% to the states.
Dismissing speculations of a January rollout, he stressed that the surcharge, if eventually enforced, would be directed towards road maintenance and infrastructure development, which he argued would ultimately benefit Nigerians.
