The Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria has raised concerns about the potential dangers the country faces due to differences between the tax legislation approved by the National Assembly and the final published version.
A position statement authored by the 17th President/Chairman of the Council, Innocent Ohagwa, released on Wednesday, highlighted that these changes present significant threats to good governance, legal clarity, and public trust.
The PUNCH It was reported that claims about changes made to the new tax reform legislation have led to demands for an investigation into the suspected unlawful modifications to the law. The tax regulations, set to come into force on 1 January 2026, were approved recently by President Bola Tinubu.
Several legislators, including a representative from Sokoto, Abdussamad Dasuki, claimed inconsistencies existed between the unified bills approved by both legislative bodies and the published copies. In reaction, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, established a seven-person panel headed by Mukhtar Betara, who serves as the Chairperson of the House Committee on Budgets, to examine these claims.
As stated by the Institute, the purity of the legislative procedure is essential for the rule of law, effective governance, and trust in democratic systems.
The head of CITN stated that "tax laws, specifically, demand the utmost precision, openness, and adherence to procedures because of their extensive impact on government income, companies, individuals, and residents."
CITN mentioned that it has "observed continuous public debates and news coverage regarding the 2025 taxation regulations, including concerns about discrepancies among different legislative drafts and the published editions available."
The Institution stated that "current public discussions have highlighted worries that some parts of the recently implemented tax laws might not align with the versions approved by the National Assembly, reportedly due to changes, additions, or deletions made to sections following their legislative approval," adding that "as an organization dedicated to ethics, legal clarity, and country progress, we believe it is important to express our stance on this issue."
Stressing its official responsibility, CITN stated that "our mission involves, among other things, maintaining professional and ethical norms, encouraging legal clarity and optimal procedures, assisting in effective public policy and administration, and safeguarding the general welfare through knowledgeable professional involvement. Therefore, we have an obligation to address issues that could jeopardize legislative accuracy, regulatory stability, and occupational standards."
Highlighting its main worry, CITN stated, "We have significant concerns about claims that the officially published versions of some tax laws might not correctly represent the Bills discussed and approved by the National Assembly." The organization cautioned that "if these differences are confirmed, regardless of their cause—be it procedural mistakes, administrative blunders, or unauthorized changes—they could challenge the authority of the legislature, lead to legal uncertainty and compliance issues, damage public and investor faith, put taxpayers and experts at risk of unexpected responsibilities, and diminish trust in governing bodies."
CITN emphasized the critical nature of drafting tax laws, saying, "As the leading tax body in Nigeria, our focus is on making sure that proper legal procedures are followed and not violated, particularly when dealing with a significant area like taxation, where precision in tax regulations is essential. Hence, we think that all possible measures must be taken to ensure accuracy from the beginning to prevent major issues down the line."
With regard to constitutional and procedural guidelines, the Institute reminded that "the Nigerian Constitution and traditional parliamentary practices stipulate that laws approved and published must match exactly those formally enacted by the legislature," and that "any modifications after passage should adhere to constitutionally accepted processes." It cautioned that "departing from these principles—whether deliberate or not—undermines the rule of law, division of powers, consistency, and reliability within the tax framework," emphasizing that "in matters of taxation, where clearness and assurance are crucial, even small adjustments may lead to significant effects."
Demanding urgent institutional measures, CITN said, "To safeguard institutional integrity and public confidence, we kindly urge swift examination of the disputed Tax Acts by matching the versions approved by the National Assembly with the officially recorded and published Laws, transparent explanation when differences are found, and timely corrections following constitutional and legal guidelines."
The organization stated that "these actions will enhance trust in the lawmaking procedure and avoid extended ambiguity."
Moving past the current dispute, CITN proposed measures to avoid similar issues again, noting, "In order to stop such occurrences from happening again, we suggest improving documentation management and tracking systems for bills and acts, transparent audit records during the lawmaking and registration procedure, improved coordination between institutions prior to presidential approval, and organized input from relevant parties for significant tax laws."
At the end, CITN stated, "Our stance is based on professional conduct, respect for democratic systems, and dedication to the country's interests." It emphasized that "the power of the National Assembly should remain intact, legislation must accurately represent what was legally discussed and approved, and openness and responsibility are crucial for effective leadership."
The Institution also recognized continuous actions taking place in the legislature, stating that "the Institute is also informed that these issues are being handled via standard legislative procedures, with information showing that the House of Representatives has started an evaluation concerning problems emerging from the legislative process related to the 2025 tax legislation."
CITN ended with the statement, "We are prepared to provide our technical knowledge and professional assistance to all appropriate agencies in order to enhance the clarity, predictability, openness, trust, and efficiency of Nigeria's tax regulations and the overall tax framework."
Supplied by SyndiGate Media Inc. ( Syndigate.info ).
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