The House of Representatives has released the certified true copies of four landmark tax reform Acts recently signed into law by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
This follows public concerns over alleged alterations and the circulation of unauthorised versions of the laws.
The House announced the release in a statement issued on Saturday by its spokesman, Akintunde Rotimi.
According to the House, the move is aimed at restoring public confidence, ensuring legislative transparency, and providing Nigerians with authentic records of the tax laws as duly passed and assented to.
What they are saying
The House said the immediate release of the certified Acts was ordered after allegations emerged that inconsistent and misleading versions of the tax laws were circulating in the public domain.
Speaker Abbas directed an internal verification process and the public disclosure of the certified documents after a member of the House raised the issue on a point of privilege, flagging discrepancies between different versions of the laws.
The Speaker said the intervention reflects the National Assembly’s commitment to transparency, legislative integrity, and the sanctity of official records.
The tax reform Acts released
The four tax reform laws released by the House form the backbone of Nigeria’s current tax reform framework.
They include:
- The Nigeria Tax Act, 2025
- The Nigeria Tax Administration Act, 2025
- The National Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, 2025
- The Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Act, 2025
According to the House, the Acts are designed to modernise revenue administration, improve tax compliance, eliminate inefficiencies and duplication, and strengthen fiscal coordination across the federation.
Speaker reassures Nigerians on legislative integrity
Speaker Abbas emphasised that the National Assembly operates as an institution of records, with clearly defined procedures and verification systems that preserve the authenticity of every law enacted.
“The National Assembly is an institution built on records, procedure, and institutional memory. Every Bill, every amendment, and every Act follows a traceable constitutional and parliamentary pathway,” he said.
- He added that the only authentic versions of the tax laws are those certified and released by the National Assembly, urging Nigerians to disregard any other documents in circulation.
- The House disclosed that the Clerk to the National Assembly has aligned the certified Acts with the Federal Government Printing Press to ensure accuracy, conformity, and uniformity.
- Hard copies of the certified laws have been produced and circulated to all members of the National Assembly and made available to the public for reference and verification.
- In addition, an ad-hoc committee chaired by Rep. Muktar Aliyu Betara continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding the circulation of unauthorised versions and to recommend measures to prevent future occurrences.
Backstory
Last month, a member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Abdulsammad Dasuki (PDP, Sokoto), had raised concerns over alleged discrepancies between the newly gazetted tax reform laws and the versions passed by the National Assembly.
- According to him, his review of the gazetted copies of the tax laws revealed material differences from what was debated, harmonised, and approved by the House of Representatives and the Senate.
- This allegation has led to calls for the suspension of the implementation of the tax laws.
- However, President Bola Tinubu, late December insisted that the government would implement the new tax laws as scheduled from January 2026, rejecting growing calls for their suspension amid public debate.