Several Nigerians have begun to demand accountability as a group of lawmakers at the House of Representatives raised allegations that the official version of the recently gazetted tax laws differs from the bills passed by the National Assembly.
The discrepancy was brought to light by Hon. Abdussamad Dasuki.
Dasuki alleged that the Nigeria Tax Act 2025 and three other companion bills, signed into law by President Bola Tinubu in June, were altered before being published in the Official Gazette.
According to Dasuki, the gazetted tax laws obtained from the Ministry of Information contain clauses and figures that were never debated or harmonized by the Senate and the House.
Dasuki raised the issue under a matter of privilege, drawing the attention of the House to what he described as discrepancies between the harmonised versions of the tax bills passed by both chambers of the National Assembly and the copies gazetted by the Federal Government.
Speaking under a matter of privilege during plenary, Dasuki alleged that the gazetted copies of the new tax laws currently in circulation differ in key clauses from the harmonised versions passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives.
He said: “I’m here today because my privilege has been breached as a member of this all-important House. Mr Speaker, Honourable colleagues, we passed the tax laws (bills) on this floor. I took my time in the last three days to look at the gazetted copy.
“I also looked at the votes and proceedings of the House of Representatives, and also went an extra mile to look at the votes and proceedings of the Senate of what was harmonised.
“Mister Speaker, Honourable colleagues, what was passed on this floor is not what is gazetted. I’m coming under privilege, because I was here. I gave my vote, and it was counted, and I’m seeing something completely different.
“On that note and on this privilege, I call on Mr Speaker to graciously look at what was harmonised and what is in the gazetted copy- what was passed in the House and the Senate.
“You will find out that what is before Nigerians, which is being sold to Nigerians at the Ministry of Information, is not what was passed.”
He called on the House to revisit the version originally passed by the National Assembly, saying, “I plead that all the documents should be brought before the committee of the Whole so that we can make the relevant amendments,” he said.
Dasuki described the development as unconstitutional, adding, “This is a breach of the Constitution and our laws, and this should not be taken by this Honourable House.”
In his response, the Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas, assured members that the leadership would look into the allegations and take appropriate steps in the national interest.
Pan-Atlantic Kompass reports that the gazetted tax laws are part of Tinubu’s economic reform agenda aimed at boosting revenue, widening the tax base, and reducing Nigeria’s dependence on borrowing.
The reforms, which include the Nigeria Tax Administration Act, the Nigeria Revenue Service Act, and amendments to the Joint Revenue Board framework, were designed to modernise tax administration, strengthen enforcement, and improve compliance.
The laws were passed by the National Assembly in 2025 despite several controversies.
Below are some of the reactions from Nigerians;
