Gloria Robert, Abuja
The House of Representatives has released the Certified True Copies (CTCs) of the four tax reform Acts recently signed into law by President Bola Tinubu, following public concerns over alleged discrepancies and the circulation of unauthorised versions of the laws.
This is contained in a statement issued on Saturday by the spokesman of the House, Rep. Akin Rotimi.
According to the statement, the House, under the leadership of the Speaker, Rep. Tajudeen Abbas, directed the immediate public release of the certified copies of the Acts, including the endorsement and assent pages signed by the president, for record, verification and reference.
It said the decision was taken in consultation with the President of the Senate, Sen. Godswill Akpabio, following allegations that versions of the tax laws in circulation differed from those passed by the National Assembly and assented to by the president.
The statement recalled that the controversy was first raised on the floor of the House by Rep. Abdulsamad Dasuki (PDP–Sokoto), who drew the attention of lawmakers to alleged discrepancies between the tax Bills passed by the legislature and the versions later gazetted and made public by the executive.
Dasuki, it noted, warned that the inconsistencies, if left unchecked, could undermine legislative integrity and public confidence in the law-making process.
His intervention sparked debates within and outside the National Assembly, with legal practitioners, tax experts and civil society organisations calling for clarification and the suspension of the implementation of the Acts.
In response, the Speaker constituted a seven-member ad hoc committee chaired by Rep. Aliyu Betara, with Rep. Idris Wase, Rep. Sada Soli, Rep. Adedeji Faleke, Rep. Igariwey Iduma, Rep. Fred Agbedi and Rep. Babajimi Benson as members.
The committee was mandated to investigate the circumstances surrounding the alleged alterations, how unauthorised versions came into circulation and measures to prevent a recurrence.
The Speaker also ordered an internal verification of the Acts and approved the public release of the certified versions to eliminate doubts, restore clarity and protect the sanctity of the legislative record.
The four tax reform laws released are the Nigeria Tax Act, 2025; the Nigeria Tax Administration Act, 2025; the National Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, 2025; and the Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Act, 2025.
The House described the laws as the backbone of Nigeria’s contemporary tax reform framework, aimed at modernising revenue administration, improving compliance, reducing inefficiencies, eliminating duplication and strengthening fiscal coordination across the federation.
It said Abbas provided firm leadership throughout the tax reform process, from stakeholder consultations and committee scrutiny to clause-by-clause consideration and plenary debates, to ensure the reforms were inclusive, evidence-based and aligned with the country’s fiscal realities.
Reassuring Nigerians, Rotimi said: “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.”
He added that once a law is passed and assented to, its integrity is preserved through certification and custody by the legislature, stressing that there is no ambiguity about what constitutes the law.
Rotimi further emphasised that the only authentic and authoritative versions of the four tax Acts are the certified copies released by the National Assembly.
“Members of the public, institutions, professionals, and stakeholders are therefore advised to disregard and discountenance any other documents or versions in circulation that are not certified by the National Assembly, as such materials do not form part of the official legislative record,” the statement read.
The House also disclosed that the Clerk to the National Assembly had concluded the process of aligning the Acts with the Federal Government Printing Press to ensure accuracy, conformity and uniformity.
“The Clerk to the National Assembly has concluded the process of aligning the Acts – duly passed, assented to, and certified – with the Federal Government Printing Press to ensure accuracy, conformity, and uniformity. Hard copies of the certified tax Acts have also been produced and are being circulated to all Honourable Members and Distinguished Senators, and made available to the public, to ensure institutional clarity, uniform reference, and legislative certainty,” it said.
It added that the ad hoc committee chaired by Betara was continuing its work in line with its mandate to determine the circumstances surrounding the circulation of unauthorised versions of the Acts and to recommend safeguards to preserve the integrity of parliamentary records.
The House reaffirmed its commitment to constitutionalism, the rule of law, transparency and accountable governance.
“The House will continue to strengthen internal controls, uphold institutional discipline, and protect the integrity of Nigeria’s legislative process in the collective interest of the Nigerian people,” the statement concluded.
