The House of Representatives has released the certified true copies of four major tax reform Acts recently signed into law by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, following rising public controversy over alleged alterations and the circulation of unauthorised versions of the laws.
The decision was announced in a statement issued on Saturday by the House’s spokesperson, Akintunde Rotimi, who said the move was intended to address growing concerns about the authenticity of different versions of the tax laws circulating in the public domain. According to the House, making the certified copies publicly available is a critical step toward restoring confidence in the legislative process and reaffirming the integrity of Nigeria’s lawmaking institutions.
The controversy emerged amid claims that some of the tax reform laws, as gazetted and circulated, differed materially from the versions debated, harmonised, and passed by the National Assembly. These concerns triggered public debate, scrutiny from policy analysts, and calls in some quarters for the suspension of the implementation of the new tax regime.
Why the House intervened
The House disclosed that the immediate release of the certified Acts was ordered after allegations of discrepancies were formally raised on the floor of the chamber under a point of privilege. A member of the House reportedly flagged inconsistencies between various versions of the tax laws, prompting leadership to act swiftly to protect the credibility of the legislature.
Following this development, the Speaker of the House, Abbas Tajudeen, directed an internal verification exercise and authorised the public disclosure of the certified documents. According to the Speaker, the intervention underscores the National Assembly’s commitment to transparency, due process, and the sanctity of official legislative records.
He stressed that the National Assembly is fundamentally an institution of records, governed by established constitutional and parliamentary procedures that ensure traceability and accountability at every stage of lawmaking.
The tax reform Acts released
The four laws released form the core of Nigeria’s current tax reform architecture and are central to the Federal Government’s broader fiscal and revenue mobilisation strategy. They include:
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The Nigeria Tax Act, 2025
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The Nigeria Tax Administration Act, 2025
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The National Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, 2025
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The Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Act, 2025
According to the House, these Acts are designed to modernise Nigeria’s tax system, improve compliance, eliminate duplication across revenue agencies, and strengthen coordination between federal and subnational tax authorities. The reforms are also expected to enhance efficiency in revenue administration and support fiscal sustainability at a time of mounting public finance pressures.
Assurance on legislative integrity
Speaker Abbas reassured Nigerians that the legislative process is guided by strict documentation and verification standards, noting that every bill and amendment follows a clearly defined constitutional pathway from introduction to assent.
“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,” the Speaker said.
He emphasised that the only valid and enforceable versions of the tax laws are those officially certified and released by the National Assembly, urging the public to disregard any unauthorised documents in circulation.
The House further disclosed that the Clerk to the National Assembly has worked closely with the Federal Government Printing Press to align the certified Acts, ensuring uniformity, accuracy, and conformity across all official copies. Hard copies of the laws have since been produced, circulated to lawmakers, and made available to the public for reference and verification.
In addition, an ad-hoc committee chaired by Rep. Muktar Aliyu Betara has been mandated to investigate how unauthorised versions of the laws entered the public space and to recommend safeguards to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Background to the controversy
The issue gained prominence last month after Hon. Abdulsammad Dasuki (PDP, Sokoto) raised concerns that the gazetted versions of the tax reform laws differed from what was passed by both chambers of the National Assembly. He claimed that his review revealed material discrepancies, fuelling calls from some stakeholders for the suspension of the laws’ implementation.
Despite the controversy, President Tinubu, speaking in late December, maintained that the new tax laws would take effect as scheduled from January 2026, dismissing calls for a delay. The release of the certified copies by the House now appears aimed at drawing a clear line under the dispute, reaffirming legislative transparency, and ensuring Nigerians have access to the authentic texts of the landmark tax reforms.
Emmanuel Bassey is a Financial Expert that has worked in the Banking and Finance Industry for over 15+ years across different banks in Nigeria
