The Nigerian Presidency has dismissed allegations that the newly enacted tax reform laws were secretly altered, insisting that the legislation was passed in full compliance with established legal and legislative procedures.
The government reaffirmed that the reforms will take effect on January 1, 2026, despite calls from former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, and several civil society organisations to suspend implementation.
The four tax reform bills—comprising the Nigeria Tax Act, Nigeria Tax Administration Act, Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, and Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Act—operate under the unified authority of the Nigeria Revenue Service. According to the Federal Government, the reforms are designed to simplify tax compliance, expand the tax base, eliminate overlapping taxes, and modernize revenue collection across federal, state, and local governments.
Concerns emerged after Abdussamad Dasuki, a member of the House of Representatives (PDP, Sokoto), alleged that discrepancies exist between the versions of the tax laws passed by the National Assembly and those published in the official gazette. Dasuki told the House that the gazetted laws did not accurately reflect the content debated, voted on, and approved by lawmakers.
He warned that if the alleged alterations were not addressed, the new tax laws could face legal challenges for lacking proper legislative approval. In response, the House constituted a seven-member ad hoc committee to investigate the claims and report back for further legislative action.
Read Also: UK: Nigerian Prison Officers Gets Visa Extensions Amid Crisis
“The content of the gazetted tax laws must be scrutinized against the harmonized versions, votes, and proceedings of both chambers,” Dasuki said during plenary, urging the committee to ensure transparency and adherence to legislative protocol.
The Presidency, through Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity Temitope Ajayi, rejected claims of alteration, describing the allegations as politically motivated. Speaking to Sunday PUNCH, Ajayi stated, “No amount of opposition pushback will stop the implementation of the laws in January. The tax laws were enacted through due process, and relevant agencies have already been mobilized to ensure smooth rollout.”
He emphasized that no constituted authority has confirmed any alteration to the tax laws and dismissed criticism as “opposition noise” aimed at creating controversy around government policy.
