A social media post by the CEO of Educare alleges that the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Administration, led by Minister Nyesom Wike, has introduced a 5% tax on all private school fees in Abuja. It also claims that no official memo was issued, that private schools pay more than 20 types of taxes, and that many schools are already shutting down due to multiple levies.
The claim was made on 2nd of December 2025, with 220k views, 4138 likes, 2303 reposted and 58 Quotes with the following captions:
“Nyesom Wike is about to start taxing 5% in all private school fees in Abuja. No official memo was sent on this regard but when schools go to ministry to pay annual dues they are now being asked to pay it. Private schools in Abuja pays over twenty tax items to FCT. Right now so many schools are shutting down.
How can we let this happen in Nigeria?”
VERDICT:
Claim 1 (5% Tax Introduced): Misleading — Policy Approved
Claim 2 (No Official Memo Issued): FALSE — An Official Memo Exists
Claim 3 (Private Schools Pay Over 20 Taxes): TRUE — Supported by NAPPS
Claim 4 (Many Schools Are Shutting Down): UNVERIFIED — Strong Warning, Not Confirmed
The claim which went viral on X (formerly Twitter) accused the FCT Administration of imposing a new 5% levy on private school tuition fees without formal communication. The posts further allege that schools are overwhelmed by more than 20 tax items, with some institutions already shutting down.
The Nigeria Education news, reviewed available evidence, official documents, statements from school proprietors, and reports from reputable Nigerian newspapers to verify these claims.
Claim 1: “Wike is about to start taxing 5% in all private school fees.”
Verdict: Misleading
Findings confirm that the FCT Administration approved a five per cent annual levy on private school tuition fees.
The directive was issued under the policy titled “Review of Private School Operation Charges in FCT,” stating that the previous fee regime ended on December 31, 2023, and the new rates took effect from January 1, 2024.
The tax is calculated using:
Total tuition fees charged by the school, and Overall student enrollment numbers.
This confirms the accuracy of the claim regarding the implementation of the 5% charge.
Claim 2: “No official memo was sent; schools only pay when they visit the ministry.”
Verdict: FALSE
Contrary to the social media claim, evidence shows that an official memo was issued.
A memo signed by Mudi Muhammed, Head of Account at the Department of Quality Assurance (DQA) in the Education Secretariat, explicitly conveyed the new tax regime to school proprietors. The memo confirmed that Minister Wike approved the review.
Multiple national dailies also reported the existence of the memo, contradicting the assertion that schools only learned of the tax informally.
Claim 3: “Private schools in Abuja pay over twenty tax items.”
Verdict: TRUE
The National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS) confirmed widespread multiple taxation in the FCT.
Schools contend with a long list of levies, including:
– Tenement rate
– Premises inspection fees
– AMAC signage levy
– Fire service levy
– Business premises renewal
– Development levy
– FIRS and FCT-IRS statutory returns
– Environmental fees
– Waste disposal charges
– Physical planning permits
… among others
NAPPS stated that in many cases, the taxes exceed 20 items, validating the claim.
Claim 4: “So many schools are shutting down.”
Verdict: UNVERIFIED
While private school owners warn that heavy taxation may cause parents to withdraw their children, potentially leading to closures, there is no confirmed data showing that many schools have shut down specifically due to the 5% levy.
However, NAPPS and parents note that the levy could run into millions of naira annually for medium-sized schools, likely resulting in fee increases and economic strain.
The claim remains a credible warning, but not one supported by verified figures.
The education community in Abuja has strongly resisted the new policy, with proprietors appealing to the FCT Minister to reconsider the levy. They argue that the added financial burden will escalate school fees and worsen the number of out-of-school children.
The FCT Administration has indeed introduced a 5% tax on private school tuition fees, documented through an official memo. Multiple taxation in the sector is an ongoing problem acknowledged by school owners and NAPPS. However, while many fear that the levy could push schools toward closure, no verifiable data currently confirms widespread shutdowns directly linked to the new policy.
The online claims contain a mix of truth, falsehood, and unverified assertions, underscoring the importance of verifying policy-related information before public circulation.
