THE Federal House of Representatives has confirmed it is reviewing the recently passed tax reform laws following public backlash and allegations of unauthorised alterations.
Spokesman Akin Rotimi stated that the Green Chamber has inaugurated a committee to “establish the sequence of events and identify any factors that may have contributed to the circumstances surrounding the legislative and administrative handling of the Acts.”
In a statement on Friday, December 26, Rotimi, who represents Ekiti North (Ikole/Oye) Federal Constituency, said the review “includes a careful examination of any lapses, irregularities, or external interferences, should any be established.”
The lawmaker said the National Assembly, comprising the Senate and the House of Representatives, has “directed the Clerk to the National Assembly to re-gazette the Acts and issue Certified True Copies of the versions duly passed by both Chambers of the National Assembly.”
Rotimi asked Nigerians to “allow the National Assembly’s institutional processes to proceed without speculation or conjecture”.
The move comes about two weeks after a lawmaker from Sokoto, Abdussamad Dasuki, raised the alarm over an alleged amendment to the gazetted version of the laws.
Dasuki claimed that the version passed by the National Assembly was different from those gazetted after months of intense debates and controversy.
According to him, the content of the gazetted tax laws was not a reflection of what the lawmakers debated and approved.
The laws are the Nigeria Tax Act, 2025; the Nigeria Tax Administration Act, 2025; the Joint Revenue Board of Nigeria (Establishment) Act, 2025; and the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, 2025.
Since the claim, opposition leaders and political parties, as well as the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), have asked for the suspension of the laws billed for implementation on January 1, 2026.
Despite the controversies, Taiwo Oyedele, Chairman of the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee, defended the laws, saying they will improve Nigeria’s fiscal structure and reduce tax burdens on vulnerable citizens.
He also expressed optimism in the capacity of the Federal Lawmakers to thoroughly address concerns arising from the alteration of the gazetted copies.
Harrison Edeh is a journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting, always determined to drive advocacy for good governance through holding public officials and businesses accountable.