Reps releases certified copies of Tinubu’s tax reform laws amid controversy

The House of Representatives has released the certified true copies (CTCs) of four landmark tax reform Acts recently signed into law by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, following public concerns over alleged alterations and the circulation of unauthorised versions of the legislation.

The release was announced in a statement issued on Saturday by the House spokesperson, Mr. Akintunde Rotimi, who said the move was aimed at restoring public confidence, ensuring legislative transparency, and providing Nigerians with access to the authentic versions of the laws as duly passed by the National Assembly and assented to by the President.

According to the statement, the decision to immediately release the certified Acts followed allegations that inconsistent and misleading versions of the tax laws were already in circulation within the public domain, sparking confusion and controversy.

The Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, was said to have ordered an internal verification process and the public disclosure of the certified documents after a member of the House raised the matter under a point of privilege, drawing attention to discrepancies between different versions of the same laws.

Speaker Abbas said the intervention underscored the National Assembly’s commitment to legislative integrity, transparency, and the sanctity of official records.

“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,” Abbas said.

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He stressed that the only valid and authoritative versions of the tax reform laws are those certified and released by the National Assembly, urging Nigerians to disregard any other documents currently in circulation.

The House noted that the four tax reform Acts constitute the foundation of Nigeria’s current tax reform framework, designed to modernise revenue administration, enhance tax compliance, eliminate inefficiencies and duplication, and strengthen fiscal coordination across the federation.

To ensure uniformity and accuracy, the House disclosed that the Clerk to the National Assembly has aligned the certified Acts with the Federal Government Printing Press, while hard copies have been produced, circulated to lawmakers, and made available to the public for reference and verification.

In addition, an ad-hoc committee chaired by Rep. Muktar Aliyu Betara is continuing investigations into how the unauthorised versions of the laws entered the public space and is expected to recommend safeguards to prevent a recurrence.

The controversy erupted last month when Hon. Abdulsammad Dasuki (PDP, Sokoto) raised concerns on the floor of the House, alleging that the gazetted versions of the tax reform laws contained material differences from the texts debated, harmonised, and approved by both chambers of the National Assembly.

Dasuki’s claims triggered calls from some quarters for the suspension of the implementation of the tax laws pending clarification.

However, President Tinubu, in late December, insisted that the Federal Government would proceed with the implementation of the new tax regime as scheduled from January 2026, rejecting calls for suspension despite the public debate.

With the release of the certified true copies, the House of Representatives says it expects to put an end to speculation, reinforce confidence in the legislative process, and ensure that policy discussions going forward are based on accurate and verified legal texts.