Nigeria’s presidency has dismissed allegations that it secretly altered provisions of the country’s newly enacted tax reform laws, insisting that no changes were made outside the established legislative process, even as opposition leaders and civil society groups intensify calls for the suspension of their implementation.
The controversy comes amid demands by the former vice-president Atiku Abubakar, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi, and several advocacy organisations for a halt to the rollout of the laws, which are due to take effect on 1 January 2026.
President Bola Tinubu last week signed four tax reform bills into law, in what the government has described as the most far-reaching overhaul of Nigeria’s tax system in decades. The new framework comprises the Nigeria Tax Act, the Nigeria Tax Administration Act, the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, and the Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Act, all consolidated under a single authority, the Nigeria Revenue Service.
According to the federal government, the reforms aim to simplify tax compliance, broaden the tax base, eliminate multiple taxation, and modernise revenue collection across federal, state, and local governments. But the laws have remained contentious, particularly among lawmakers from northern Nigeria, many of whom opposed them before their passage.
Tensions escalated this week after a member of the House of Representatives, Abdussamad Dasuki of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), alleged that the versions of the tax laws gazetted and released to the public differed from those debated and approved by parliament. Speaking during plenary, Dasuki warned that the discrepancies could leave the laws legally vulnerable, as the alleged changes lacked legislative approval.
He called on the speaker to ensure that all harmonised versions of the bills, voting records and proceedings from both chambers were subjected to scrutiny by the full House. In response, the speaker, Tajudeen Abbas, announced the formation of a seven-member ad hoc committee to investigate the claims and report back to lawmakers.
Documents circulating within the National Assembly, attributed to a source who requested anonymity, suggest that provisions relating to oversight and accountability approved by lawmakers were removed from the final Acts, while new coercive measures—including arrest powers for tax authorities, garnishee orders without court approval, and compulsory US dollar computations—were allegedly inserted.
The presidency has rejected these claims. Speaking, Temitope Ajayi, senior special assistant to the president on media and publicity, said the allegations were unsubstantiated and would not derail the implementation timeline.
“No amount of opposition pushback will stop the implementation of these laws in January,” Ajayi said, describing the controversy as “opposition noise” intended to undermine government policy. He insisted the laws were enacted through due process and noted that an implementation committee had been working for six months to ensure a smooth rollout.
Ajayi added that allegations raised by an opposition lawmaker could not invalidate legislation duly passed and signed, stressing that the House committee chaired by James Faleke, the head of the House finance committee, should be allowed to complete its work.
The president’s special adviser on information and strategy, Bayo Onanuga, also ruled out suspending the reforms, saying the government would await the outcome of the House investigation. “The law has already been passed. The timeline for implementation is January 1,” he said, adding that some elements of the reforms were already being applied.
Opposition figures have remained unconvinced. Atiku called for an immediate suspension of the laws pending a thorough investigation, describing the alleged alterations as criminal falsification. Speaking through his media aide, Paul Ibe, he warned that the issue raised broader questions about the integrity of Nigeria’s legislative process.
“Something has been appended to the law, and some people have gone ahead to alter it. This is dangerous,” Atiku said, alleging that provisions were inserted to target political opponents.
Obi echoed those concerns, warning that the alleged changes marked a shift from poor governance to outright abuse of the law. In a statement posted on X, the former Anambra state governor said the controversy struck “at the core of constitutional governance” and accused the authorities of eroding public trust.
“We have transitioned from a Nigeria where budgets are padded to one where laws are forged,” Obi said, criticising the introduction of enforcement powers that he said parliament never approved, including mandatory deposits before appeals, asset sales without judicial oversight and arrest powers for tax officials.
Political parties and civic groups have also weighed in. The African Democratic Congress described the reforms as “draconian” and called for a public inquiry, warning that post-passage tampering suggested an attempt to concentrate power in the presidency. The Take-It-Back Movement said it was mobilising nationwide protests, branding the reforms “anti-people and illegitimate”.
With the House investigation under way, the dispute has deepened concerns over transparency, accountability and public confidence in Nigeria’s fiscal reforms – issues likely to intensify as the January implementation date approaches.
