The House of Representatives Minority Caucus Ad-hoc Committee on Tax Laws has confirmed that illegal alterations were made to some tax reform laws passed by the National Assembly and signed by President Bola Tinubu, but said the individuals responsible are yet to be identified.
The committee disclosed this in an interim report on Friday, following allegations that the versions of the tax laws published in the official gazette differed from those passed by lawmakers.
Recall the issue was first raised during plenary by Abdulsamad Dasuki, who drew attention to an “authorised” version that did not reflect the National Assembly’s decisions.
According to the committee, a comparison of Certified True Copies (CTCs) released by the House with earlier gazetted versions showed “that there were some alterations as alleged… especially in the Nigeria Tax Administration Act, 2025.”
“There were three different versions of the documents in circulation, particularly the Nigeria Tax Administration Act, 2025,” the committee stated, adding that this pointed to “procedural anomalies in the previously gazetted version that illegally encroached on the core mandate of the National Assembly.”
The panel identified discrepancies including lowered tax reporting thresholds, the introduction of a mandatory 20 per cent deposit before tax appeals, expanded enforcement powers such as arrest and asset sales without court orders, and changes to the definition of federal taxes.
“This is a clear case of the Executive undermining legislative powers by illegally altering an already passed law,” the committee said, describing the changes as “an affront to the exclusive powers of the National Assembly to make laws.”
It also faulted the removal of provisions requiring the Nigeria Revenue Service to report to parliament, noting that the alteration showed “total disregard and disrespect of the institution of the National Assembly and the doctrine of checks and balances.”
Given the findings, the committee said the evidence was sufficient to justify further investigation.
“Given the anomalies, illegalities, and impunity observed… the Committee finds the current evidence sufficient to warrant a deeper investigation,” it added.
President Tinubu assented to the four tax reform bills in June 2025, with the presidency saying the laws were intended to improve tax administration, boost revenue, and enhance the business environment.
