Osun Tax Row: Students and Revenue Agency Clash Over Tertiary Clearance Fees

A dispute has emerged between student leadership and revenue authorities in Osun State regarding tax-clearance requirements for students in state-owned higher institutions, according to a report by Daily Post Nigeria.

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Southwest Zone D, has accused the Osun State Internal Revenue Service (OIRS) of imposing duplicate charges and creating administrative roadblocks during registration. Revenue officials have firmly denied the claims, arguing that the screening process is strictly designed to authenticate documentation and combat fraud.

Allegations of Duplicate Fees and Administrative Delays

In a joint statement reported by Daily Post Nigeria, NANS Zonal Coordinator Comrade Adeyemo Kayode and Assistant General Secretary Comrade Abubakar Musefiu alleged that tertiary students were being asked to pay between ₦8,000 and ₦10,000 for tax clearance certificates. The student body claimed these demands were being made even when students submitted valid proof of their parents’ tax compliance.

NANS reported that prolonged verification processes left several students unable to finalize their admission or semester registration. The union claimed that some students were only permitted to proceed with registration after making new payments, despite having already submitted parental tax records. In response, NANS advised students to withhold payment of the contested fees while continuing to settle approved tuition charges.

The student association issued an ultimatum to OIRS expiring on October 27, 2026, following an initial petition submitted on October 8. NANS demanded formal clarification on statutory tax guidelines, designated rates, and the refund of any duplicate charges, warning that it might organize peaceful picketing if the matter remains unaddressed. The union also appealed to Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke and the State House of Assembly to intervene.

Revenue Service Cites Anti-Fraud Verification

OIRS Chairman Hamzat Solanke dismissed the extortion allegations, describing the friction as a misunderstanding of the agency’s compliance framework. Solanke stated that all working adults are required to pay taxes, and students are expected to submit authentic proof of parental tax compliance or confirm their standing at tax offices.

Solanke explained that the state revenue service relies on an application programming interface (API) integrated directly into school portals in coordination with institution administrators and technical teams. This automated bridge is intended to match records and ensure the authenticity of tax-clearance submissions rather than extract unlawful payments.

The OIRS chairman also disclosed that law enforcement had made arrests in connection with suspected forged tax-clearance documents presented by students. He urged affected parents and students to submit formal complaints directly to the revenue service or visit local tax offices for reconciliation, pledging that verified grievances would be investigated.

Looking Ahead

The disagreement underscores ongoing friction between institutional compliance measures and student administrative burdens during school enrollment cycles. With student representatives threatening peaceful protests and revenue officials defending automated compliance safeguards, attention turns to whether formal discussions will resolve the registration bottlenecks before deadlines elapse.

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p class=”vbna-source-note”>Source: Daily Post Nigeria

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