House Probes Tax Law Discrepancies as PDP, Opposition Demand Delay

The House of Representatives has established an ad hoc committee to investigate alleged discrepancies between the tax reforms passed by the National Assembly and the official gazetted version currently circulating among government agencies. The move follows concerns raised by a PDP lawmaker over potential unauthorized alterations to the laws.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called for a six-month delay to the January 1, 2026 rollout of the new tax laws to allow for proper public enlightenment and thorough investigation. The party warned that unaddressed discrepancies could undermine the legality of the reforms and erode public trust in parliamentary enactments.

President Bola Tinubu recently signed four major tax reform bills into law: the Nigeria Tax Act, Nigeria Tax Administration Act, Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, and the Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Act. The reforms aim to simplify tax compliance, expand the tax base, eliminate overlapping taxes, and modernize revenue collection across federal, state, and local governments.

Opposition groups, including the National Opposition Movement (NOM), also called for suspension of the reforms, describing the new tax regime as punitive amid rising poverty and unemployment. NOM spokesperson Chille Igbawua warned that implementing the laws now could worsen Nigerians’ living conditions.

The Federal Government, however, defended the reforms as pro-poor measures designed to improve revenue mobilization without increasing the burden on citizens or small businesses. Tope Fasua, Special Adviser to the President on Economic Affairs, cited improved infrastructure, such as the partial opening of the Brass–Nembe Road, as evidence of the benefits of efficient tax collection.

The National Orientation Agency (NOA) said it would use its 16 communication platforms nationwide to clarify the reforms and address public misconceptions. Key provisions include tax exemptions for small businesses, reduced burdens for workers and the middle class, lower corporate tax rates, harmonized taxation, streamlined compliance, and elimination of nuisance taxes.

The House committee, chaired by Mukhtar Betara and including Idris Wase, James Faleke, Sada Soli, Igariwey Iduma, Fredrick Agbedi, and Babajimi Benson, will investigate the claims and submit recommendations for further legislative action.

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