Dispatch riders in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, on Thursday staged a protest against what they described as multiple taxation, calling on the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, to intervene.
The riders gathered at the FCT Administration Secretariat, alleging that they were being subjected to additional levies despite already paying their taxes to the area councils.
Addressing journalists during the protest, the spokesperson for the riders, Olawale Ilesanmi, said members of the group had consistently paid their statutory dues but were recently confronted by a new set of revenue collectors demanding higher payments.
“The N25,000 is far higher than what we pay to the area councils. We are, therefore, kicking against the multiple taxation that is directly affecting us in Abuja.
We riders know that it is our statutory obligation to pay taxes, and we have been complying year after year, paying to AMAC, Bwari, and Gwagwalada Area Councils.
But all of a sudden, another group of tax collectors emerged with another demand in the name of the FCT Administration, asking for a higher tax compared to what we pay to AMAC,” Ilesanmi said.
According to him, dispatch riders currently pay N13,000 annually to the area councils — Abuja Municipal Area Council, Bwari Area Council, and Gwagwalada Area Council.
The newly introduced levy of N25,000 under the FCT Administration has increased their financial burden.
Ilesanmi also alleged that some motorcycles had been impounded, with owners required to pay the new levy before retrieving their bikes, in addition to other charges incurred during daily operations.
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The protesters said their demonstration aimed to draw the attention of the FCT Minister to what they termed unlawful multiple taxation and alleged extortion.
The protest was later suspended after officials of the FCT Transportation Secretariat met with leaders of the dispatch riders and assured them that the matter would be investigated.
Earlier in the week, the Acting Executive Chairman of the FCT Internal Revenue Service, Michael Ango, had assured residents that concerns about multiple taxation would be addressed.
He said, “All the issues around duplicity and multiplicity of taxes within the FCT will, in a very short time, be resolved.
One thing you can be sure of is that the FCT-IRS will be at the centre of that. It will drive this initiative and achieve it for all residents of the FCT.”
The Federal Government commenced enforcement of the new tax regime on January 1, 2026, with the introduction of four major laws: the Nigeria Tax Act 2025, the Nigeria Tax Administration Act 2025, the Nigeria Revenue Service Establishment Act 2025, and the Joint Revenue Board Establishment Act 2025.