The Minister of State for Finance Designate Taiwo Oyedele, has disclosed that 12 states of the federation have enacted the Tax Harmonisation Law, as the Federal Government’s tax reform programme continues to gain traction nationwide, but officials have yet to release the complete list, fueling speculation and calls for transparency from businesses and citizens eager to know where the reforms apply.
Oyedele made the disclosure on Wednesday in Abuja during the graduation ceremony of 5,900 young entrepreneurs trained by the MTN Foundation across modules in entrepreneurship, business, and innovation.
Reports from January 2026 identified nine states — Bayelsa, Anambra, Ekiti, Gombe, Kogi, Nasarawa, Plateau, Kwara, and Zamfara — as having enacted the law. The three additional states, which bring the total to 12, have not yet been identified in any official or media records. TheDiggerNews has reached out to the Joint Revenue Board and the Federal Ministry of Finance for the complete list.
Oyedele added that 13 other states have already tabled the law before their State Houses of Assembly, while the remainder are at various stages of implementation.
The Tax Harmonisation Law was introduced by the Federal Government as part of President Bola Tinubu‘s broader tax reform agenda. Oyedele said the reforms are intended to modernise Nigeria’s fiscal framework, enable businesses to thrive, protect vulnerable populations, and reset the country’s fiscal transformation.
At the state level, the law aims to eliminate nuisance taxes, prevent the harassment of citizens, simplify tax administration, protect citizens’ rights as taxpayers, and end unfair tax treatment. Oyedele stressed that transparency, fiscal discipline, responsibility, and accountability are central to any credible tax system.
Oyedele’s remarks came at the graduation of 5,900 young entrepreneurs trained by the MTN Foundation — part of an initiative that has empowered over 15,000 young people since its inception.
The Foundation’s Chairman, Mr Mosun Olusoga, represented by Director Mallam Surajudeen Yakubu, announced that approximately N300 million in business grants would be disbursed to programme beneficiaries, describing it as the Foundation’s contribution to the success of young innovators and entrepreneurs in the country.
Oyedele, appointed Minister of State for Finance on Tuesday, encouraged the graduating entrepreneurs to think big, maintain financial discipline, keep accurate records, and build brands grounded in trust and values.
