- Says no ambiguity in what constitutes the law
- Asks Nigerians to disregard other documents not certified by NASS
- States, LGs set for more revenue as new tax regime takes off’
The House of Representatives has released to the public certified true copies of the four tax reform Acts passed by the National Assembly and signed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as part of efforts to douse growing tension over allegations that the laws were altered.
In directing the release of the certified Acts, Speaker Abbas reassured Nigerians that the National Assembly remains an institution of records, guided by clearly defined rules, precedents, archival systems, and verification processes that safeguard the authenticity of every law enacted.
Spokesman of the House, Akintunde Rotimi said in a statement last night that the original copy of the law passed and signed by the President has been made public while hard copies have been printed and circulated to members.
The statement reads: “The House of Representatives, under the leadership of the Speaker, Hon. Abbas Tajudeen has released the four tax reform Acts duly signed into law by His Excellency, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria, to Nigerians for public record, verification, and reference.
“Speaker Abbas, in concert with the Senate President, H.E. Senator Godswill Akpabio, GCON, directed the immediate release of the Certified True Copies (CTCs) of the Acts, including the endorsement and assent pages signed by the President, following public concerns and allegations regarding purported alterations and the circulation of unauthorised and misleading versions of the laws.
“This decisive intervention underscores Speaker Abbas’ long-standing commitment to transparency, legislative integrity, and public confidence in the law-making process.
“Indeed, the attention of the House was drawn to the existence of inconsistent versions of the tax laws in circulation after a vigilant Honourable Member identified discrepancies, raised the alarm, and formally reported the matter to the House on a point of privilege. Acting promptly, the Speaker ordered an internal verification and the immediate public release of the certified Acts to eliminate doubt, restore clarity, and protect the sanctity of the legislative record.
“From the initiation of the tax reform process through extensive stakeholder consultations, committee scrutiny, rigorous clause-by-clause consideration, robust plenary debates, and eventual passage, Speaker Abbas has provided firm and steady leadership to ensure that the reforms were evidence-based, inclusive, and aligned with Nigeria’s fiscal realities and development priorities.
“Throughout the process, Speaker Abbas consistently emphasised that tax reform must be anchored on clarity, fairness, and strict adherence to constitutional and parliamentary procedure.
“The four Acts released are: the Nigeria Tax Act, 2025, The Nigeria Tax Administration Act, 2025, The National Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, 2025 and The Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Act, 2025
“These landmark legislations constitute the backbone of Nigeria’s contemporary tax reform architecture, designed to modernise revenue administration, improve compliance, reduce inefficiencies, eliminate duplications, and strengthen fiscal coordination across the federation.”
Rotimi quoted the Speaker as saying that “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. Once a law is passed and assented to, its integrity is preserved through certification and custody by the legislature. There is no ambiguity about what constitutes the law.
“Speaker Abbas further emphasised that the House would remain vigilant and proactive in defending the integrity of its work, clarifying that the only authentic and authoritative versions of the four tax Acts are those certified and released by the National Assembly.
“Members of the public, institutions, professionals, and stakeholders are therefore advised to disregard and discountenance any other documents or versions in circulation that are not certified by the National Assembly, as such materials do not form part of the official legislative record.
“Consequently, the Clerk to the National Assembly has concluded the process of aligning the Acts – duly passed, assented to, and certified – with the Federal Government Printing Press to ensure accuracy, conformity, and uniformity.
“Hard copies of the certified tax Acts have also been produced and are being circulated to all Honourable Members and Distinguished Senators, and made available to the public, to ensure institutional clarity, uniform reference, and legislative certainty.
“The House affirms that the work of the Ad-Hoc Committee, chaired by Hon. Muktar Aliyu Betara continues, in line with its mandate, to determine the circumstances surrounding the circulation of unauthorised versions of the tax Acts and to recommend measures that will prevent a recurrence and preserve the authenticity and reliability of parliamentary records.
“The House of Representatives, under the leadership of Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, Ph.D., GCON, reaffirms its unwavering commitment to constitutionalism, the rule of law, transparency, and accountable governance. The House will continue to strengthen internal controls, uphold institutional discipline, and protect the integrity of Nigeria’s legislative process in the collective interest of the Nigerian people.”
States, LGs set for more revenue as new tax regime takes off’
Meanwhile, a major shift is set to occur in the sharing of revenue from the Federation Accounts from next month when January revenue inflows will be shared, with the 36 states and the 774 local governments projected to receive significantly higher statutory allocations under the new tax regime.
The policy framework, which restructures how key tax components are distributed, will redirect a substantial portion of federally collected taxes to subnational governments.
Under the new dispensation, all revenues accruing from Pay As You Earn and Personal Income Tax will go entirely to the states.
Besides, 90 percent of Value Added Tax collections will be channeled to the subnational tier, with 55 per cent going to state governments and the Federal Capital Territory, while 35 per cent will be allocated to local governments.
The sharing arrangement also provides that 26.7 per cent of Company Income Tax will now flow to the states, while another 26.7 per cent of Petroleum Profit Tax will follow the same pattern.
In addition, 20.6 per cent of both Company Income Tax and Petroleum Profit Tax will accrue to local governments under the control of the states.
The revenue base of the states and the local governments first expanded significantly following the removal of fuel subsidy by the Tinubu Administration soon after its installation in 2023 with the money saved from the subsidy removal going to the three tiers of government for development.
For instance, the three tiers of government shared N1.928 trillion last November up from the N786.161 billion they shared in the month immediately preceding the fuel subsidy removal.
Sources at the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee told The Nation that work would commence on adjusting the sharing templates to accommodate the new inflows once full activities resume after the new year festivities.
A senior official said the technical teams would begin “the reconfiguration of the sharing templates to reflect these new tax accruals.”
The official added that the shift represents one of the most significant fiscal developments for subnational governments in recent years.
“With the new tax regime, the state governments are going to receive more money from the tax components of the Federation Accounts than they did in 2025 and before,” the source told The Nation.
Beyond the quantum of funds, the Act introduces a revised methodology for distributing VAT revenues among states and local government councils.
Under the new arrangement, half of the VAT pool will be shared equally among all states and councils. Twenty per cent will be distributed based on population size within each jurisdiction, while the remaining 30 per cent will be allocated in proportion to actual consumption levels recorded across the states.
However, while the additional revenue streams are expected to strengthen subnational finances, the new tax administration framework also introduces stricter compliance requirements and penalties.
The Nigeria Tax Administration Act 2025 spells out a wide range of sanctions under Chapter Four, covering general tax offences and those specifically applicable to petroleum sector operations.
Under the general provisions, taxpayers who fail to register with the relevant tax authority or obtain a Taxpayer Identification Number commit an offence. The Act also provides sanctions for failure to file tax returns within the stipulated time frame, as well as for failure to maintain proper accounting records as required by law.
The provisions extend to obligations relating to tax deduction at source.
Failure to deduct taxes such as PAYE or Withholding Tax when required by law constitutes an offence, just as failure to remit taxes already deducted to the appropriate authority attracts penalties.
Other offences include obstruction of authorised officers in the course of duty, refusal to grant access to premises for tax purposes, making false or fictitious claims for tax or VAT refunds, impersonation of tax officials, or attempts to induce officers to neglect their duties. Fraud involving tax stamps or related documents is also covered, while failure to grant access for the deployment of approved tax technology or fiscalisation systems, particularly in relation to VAT, is punishable under the Act.
A general penalty applies in cases where no specific sanction is prescribed.
For companies operating in upstream and midstream petroleum activities, the Act introduces sector-specific obligations. These include filing estimated and actual returns within due dates, prompt payment of petroleum-related taxes, and the settlement of royalties on petroleum or mineral resources.
Persistent non-compliance may, in serious circumstances, lead to recommendations for the revocation of operating licenses or leases.
The legislation also grants tax authorities enhanced administrative enforcement powers including imposition of fixed penalties and interest on unpaid taxes, as well as the power to distrain — enabling the seizure and sale of a taxpayer’s goods, chattels or land to recover outstanding liabilities.
However, Taiwo Oyedele, Chairman of the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reform Committee, stated that these measures would only be applied following the completion of the appropriate legal processes.
The Act further allows authorities to compound certain offences, meaning they may be settled administratively rather than through full prosecution, while retaining the power to prosecute offenders before a court of competent jurisdiction where necessary.
With the implementation phase now approaching, officials believe the combination of higher tax-based accruals and stricter compliance measures will reshape fiscal relations within the federation, placing greater financial responsibility and opportunity in the hands of state and local governments.
