A brewing tax showdown between private school owners and authorities in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) took a dramatic turn on Wednesday as a Magistrates’ Court in Wuse Zone 2 stepped in, urging all sides to embrace dialogue.
The court adjourned the high-stakes case to April 16, 2026, after the National Association of Private School Owners (NAPS) dragged the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) and Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) to court over what they describe as crushing multiple taxation.
In a no-nonsense stance, the court warned parties to tread carefully and explore peaceful resolution instead of dragging the matter into a prolonged legal battle.
But behind the calm courtroom proceedings lies growing anger among school owners, who say they are being “taxed from all directions.”
Speaking after the session, counsel to NAPS, Alexander N. Ogbo, said schools are now trapped in a web of overlapping demands from different authorities.
“This is becoming a serious problem. Schools are receiving the same demands from AMAC, other area councils and even departments of the FCTA,” he said.
He did not hold back in describing the situation: “When two elephants fight, the grass suffers and in this case, the schools are the grass.”
According to him, what should have been a straightforward policy handled by area councils has snowballed into a full-blown institutional clash, with multiple agencies laying claim to the same regulatory space.
The result, he said, is confusion, disruption of academic activities, and growing financial pressure on school operators.
“Schools are not running away from regulation, but there must be clarity. Right now, they don’t even know who to obey AMAC or the FCTA Health Department,” Ogbo added.
He called for urgent harmonisation of roles to end what many now see as a “tax crisis” in the education sector.
Also speaking, NAPS President, Rukayat Agboola, insisted that private schools are not against oversight but want a single, clear line of authority preferably through the Education Secretariat.
“We cannot continue like this. There must be one channel to avoid confusion and duplication,” she said.
Some aggrieved school owners raised the alarm over what they described as excessive levies, including a controversial charge reportedly pegged at five per cent of tuition fees per term.
They warned that such policies could cripple schools or force them to pass the burden onto parents.
“These schools are partners in development, not revenue targets,” one of them fumed.
Despite the tension, NAPS signaled readiness for settlement, saying dialogue remains the best way forward if authorities are willing to come to the table.
For now, all eyes are on April 16, as the courtroom battle and the fight against multiple taxation continues.
