December 30th 2025/News/SUNTV Global Channel Style
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reaffirmed that Nigeria’s newly enacted tax laws will be implemented as scheduled from January 1, 2026, brushing aside mounting controversy over alleged alterations to parts of the legislation after passage by the National Assembly.
In a statement personally signed and released on Tuesday, December 30, 2025, President Tinubu said the reforms—some of which already came into force on June 26, 2025—remain critical to strengthening Nigeria’s fiscal architecture and will not be suspended.
“The new tax laws, including those that took effect on June 26, 2025, and the remaining acts scheduled to commence on January 1, 2026, will continue as planned,” the President declared.
Tinubu described the tax overhaul as a “once-in-a-generation opportunity” to establish a fair, competitive and resilient fiscal foundation for the country. He stressed that the reforms were not aimed at imposing higher taxes on Nigerians but at restructuring and harmonising the tax system.
According to the President, the laws are designed to “support a structural reset, promote harmonisation, protect dignity and strengthen the social contract,” while ensuring long-term economic stability.
Calling on stakeholders in both the public and private sectors to rally behind the reforms, Tinubu noted that the process has moved beyond legislation and into full implementation.
Responding to public concerns over alleged discrepancies between the tax laws passed by the National Assembly and those later published in the Federal Gazette, the President acknowledged the debate but dismissed calls for a halt in implementation.
“Our administration is aware of the public discourse surrounding alleged changes to some provisions of the recently enacted tax laws,” he said, adding that “no substantial issue has been established that warrants a disruption of the reform process.”
Tinubu emphasised that trust in governance is built through consistency and due process, not through what he described as “premature, reactive measures.” He also assured Nigerians that the Presidency would work closely with the National Assembly to promptly resolve any genuine issues that may arise.
“I assure all Nigerians that the Federal Government will continue to act in the overriding public interest to ensure a tax system that supports prosperity and shared responsibility,” the President stated.
The controversy erupted earlier in December 2025 after a member of the House of Representatives, Abdussamad Dasuki, raised a matter of privilege, alleging that the gazetted versions of the tax laws contained provisions not approved during parliamentary debates.
The claims sparked widespread concern, with lawmakers and public commentators alleging discrepancies between the bills passed by both chambers of the National Assembly and the versions officially published by the government.
The issue has since evolved into a broader debate on governance and constitutional integrity, with critics warning that any confirmed alterations would amount to a serious breach of Nigeria’s legislative process.
Several prominent voices, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), and multiple civil society organisations, have called for a suspension of the laws’ implementation pending a transparent investigation. Some groups have also threatened legal action to stop the January rollout.
In response, the House of Representatives has constituted a special committee to review the tax reform laws and ordered the issuance of certified true copies of the versions passed by lawmakers, as it investigates the alleged irregularities and prepares for possible re-gazetting.
SUNTV Global Channel will continue to monitor developments surrounding the tax reforms and their implications for Nigeria’s economy and democratic process.
