Lawmaker alleges gazetted tax reform laws differ from versions approved by National Assembly
A member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Abdulsammad Dasuki (PDP, Sokoto), has raised the alarm over what he described as serious discrepancies between Nigeria’s newly gazetted tax reform laws and the versions passed by the National Assembly.
Dasuki brought the issue before the House on Wednesday, invoking a matter of privilege, barely weeks before the new tax regime is scheduled to take effect in January 2026.
According to the lawmaker, a detailed review of the official gazetted copies revealed material differences from the bills debated, harmonised, and approved by both chambers of the National Assembly.
“What we passed is not what was gazetted”
Addressing the House, Dasuki said he compared the gazetted laws with the Votes and Proceedings of the House of Representatives, the Senate records, and the harmonised versions agreed upon by both chambers.
“I took my time over the last three days to study the gazetted copies alongside the votes and proceedings of this House and those of the Senate,” he said.
“Mr Speaker and honourable colleagues, what we passed on this floor is not what has been gazetted.”
He stressed that his intervention was not a routine motion but a constitutional concern that demands immediate legislative attention.
Call for urgent legislative scrutiny
Dasuki urged the Speaker to direct that all relevant documents, including the versions passed by both chambers, the harmonised bills, and the gazetted laws be formally presented before the Committee of the Whole for collective examination.
While he did not outline the specific areas where changes allegedly occurred, the lawmaker warned that any alteration to legislation outside the approval of parliament amounts to a breach of constitutional process.
“This is a breach of the Constitution and a breach of our laws. This honourable House should not allow it to stand,” he said, cautioning that failure to act could weaken legislative authority and due process.
Speaker responds
In response, the Speaker of the House acknowledged Dasuki’s concerns and assured lawmakers that the issue would be properly addressed.
Background
The tax laws in question are part of a wide-ranging tax reform package recently passed by the National Assembly and signed into law, with implementation slated to begin in January 2026.
The reforms are designed to modernise Nigeria’s tax system, reduce multiple taxation, streamline tax administration, and align fiscal policy with ongoing economic reforms.
Key provisions include changes to corporate and personal income taxes, adjustments to indirect taxes, and efforts to harmonise tax collection across federal, state, and local governments. The reforms also tie into broader fiscal measures such as subsidy removal and public finance restructuring.
With implementation just weeks away, Dasuki’s intervention introduces fresh uncertainty over the legal integrity of the gazetted laws and raises concerns about whether they accurately reflect the intentions of the National Assembly.
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