The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has expressed concern over the recent digital tax agreement between Nigeria and France, warning that the deal raises serious questions about transparency, national sovereignty and the safety of Nigerians’ data.
In a statement on Sunday by its national publicity secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the opposition party said it supports efforts to modernise Nigeria’s tax system but faulted the process through which the agreement was reached.
The party called for the immediate public disclosure of the full terms of the deal or its termination.
The agreement on digital tax reform and revenue administration was signed by the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) on behalf of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration with the Government of France.
According to the ADC, expert reviews of the deal suggest it could expose sensitive national economic and tax data to foreign access, with potential implications for Nigeria’s data security and economic sovereignty.
The party said attempts by the FIRS to downplay these concerns have not addressed public apprehension, particularly given what it described as the hurried and secretive manner in which the agreement was concluded.
It questioned why such a far-reaching tax arrangement was entered into without public disclosure of its terms, meaningful engagement with the National Assembly or broader consultation with stakeholders.
The ADC also queried what France stands to gain from the agreement, arguing that tax agreements are commercial in nature and should be mutually transparent.
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It warned that any deal that potentially infringes on national security and sovereignty must be subjected to open scrutiny.
Placing the agreement in a broader political context, the party noted that France’s influence across West Africa is increasingly being challenged, with several former French colonies reassessing long-standing ties.
It expressed concern that Nigeria, under the current administration, appears to be deepening its engagement with France in ways that may undermine domestic capacity.
The ADC argued that Nigeria’s local content policy is meant to build national institutions and reduce dependence on foreign service providers. It questioned why local expertise was not prioritised in a sector where Nigerian professionals are globally competitive.
The party called for the full publication of the agreement, a formal briefing of the National Assembly and an independent assessment of its implications for data protection, cybersecurity and national sovereignty, insisting that Nigerians deserve full transparency on the deal.