The House of Representatives, under the leadership of Speaker Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, has released the Certified True Copies (CTCs) of Nigeria’s four newly enacted tax reform laws, in a decisive move to address public concerns over alleged alterations and the circulation of unauthorised versions of the legislation.
The development was confirmed in a press statement issued in the early hours of Sunday and shared by Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga via his official X (formerly Twitter) account.
According to the statement, Speaker Abbas, acting in concert with Senate President Godswill Akpabio, directed the immediate public release of the laws, including the endorsement and assent pages signed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to ensure transparency, verification, and public confidence in the legislative process.
The intervention followed growing controversy over conflicting versions of the tax laws reportedly in circulation. The House disclosed that a vigilant member had raised the alarm on the floor of the chamber after identifying discrepancies, prompting the Speaker to order an internal verification and public disclosure of the authentic records.
Describing the move as part of a broader transparency drive, the House said the release underscores Speaker Abbas’ long-standing commitment to legislative integrity, institutional accountability, and openness.
From the onset of the tax reform process, the Speaker reportedly oversaw extensive stakeholder engagements, committee scrutiny, clause-by-clause consideration, and robust plenary debates to ensure the reforms were inclusive, evidence-based, and aligned with Nigeria’s fiscal realities.
The four Acts released to the public are:
• The Nigeria Tax Act, 2025
• The Nigeria Tax Administration Act, 2025
• The National Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, 2025
• The Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Act, 2025
The House described the legislations as the backbone of Nigeria’s modern tax reform framework, designed to improve revenue administration, enhance compliance, eliminate duplication, and strengthen fiscal coordination across federal, state, and local governments.
Speaker Abbas, quoted in the statement, emphasised that the National Assembly remains an institution governed by records, procedure, and constitutional safeguards.
“The National Assembly is an institution built on records, procedure, and institutional memory,” he said. “Every Bill, every amendment, and every Act follows a traceable constitutional and parliamentary pathway. There is no ambiguity about what constitutes the law.”
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He further reassured Nigerians that only versions of the tax laws certified and released by the National Assembly are valid and authoritative, urging the public to disregard any other documents in circulation.
To further ensure uniformity and accuracy, the Clerk to the National Assembly has aligned the certified Acts with the Federal Government Printing Press, while hard copies have been distributed to lawmakers and made available to the public.
Meanwhile, the House confirmed that its Ad-Hoc Committee, chaired by Rt. Hon. Muktar Aliyu Betara, continues investigations into how unauthorised versions of the laws entered public circulation and will recommend measures to prevent future occurrences.
The House of Representatives reaffirmed its commitment to constitutionalism, the rule of law, transparency, and accountable governance, pledging to strengthen internal controls and protect the integrity of Nigeria’s legislative records.
As debate over tax reforms continues nationwide, the release of the certified laws marks a critical step in restoring confidence and clarifying the legal foundation of Nigeria’s evolving fiscal framework.