In a decisive move to reinforce transparency, restore public confidence, and safeguard the integrity of Nigeria’s legislative process, the House of Representatives has released the Certified True Copies of four landmark tax reform Acts recently signed into law by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The action, undertaken under the leadership of the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, Ph.D., GCON, follows public concerns over the circulation of unauthorised and allegedly altered versions of the new tax laws.
The four Acts, which now form the cornerstone of Nigeria’s contemporary tax reform framework, were formally released for public record, verification, and reference. The Speaker’s directive was issued in collaboration with the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, GCON, underscoring a unified commitment by the leadership of the National Assembly to legislative clarity and institutional accountability.
The decision to make the certified documents publicly available came after reports emerged that conflicting versions of the tax laws were in circulation, creating confusion among stakeholders, professionals, and members of the public. According to the House, the issue was first brought to its attention when a vigilant member of the House identified discrepancies between versions of the Acts and raised the matter on a point of privilege during plenary.
Responding swiftly, Speaker Abbas ordered an internal verification process and directed the immediate release of the Certified True Copies, including the endorsement and assent pages signed by President Tinubu. The move was intended to eliminate ambiguity, counter misinformation, and reaffirm the National Assembly as the sole custodian of authentic legislative records.
Observers note that the intervention is consistent with Speaker Abbas’ long-standing emphasis on transparency, due process, and strict adherence to constitutional and parliamentary procedures. From the onset of the tax reform process, the Speaker reportedly provided steady leadership to ensure that the reforms were inclusive, evidence-based, and aligned with Nigeria’s fiscal realities and development priorities.
The tax reform journey involved extensive stakeholder consultations, detailed committee scrutiny, clause-by-clause consideration, and robust debates on the floor of the House before eventual passage. Throughout these stages, Speaker Abbas repeatedly stressed that tax reform must balance revenue generation with fairness, simplicity, and economic growth, while remaining firmly grounded in law.
The four Acts released by the House 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. Together, the laws are designed to modernise Nigeria’s tax system, strengthen revenue administration, improve compliance, reduce inefficiencies, eliminate duplications, and enhance coordination among federal, state, and local government revenue authorities.
In a statement accompanying the release, Speaker Abbas reassured Nigerians that the National Assembly operates as an institution of records, guided by established rules, archival systems, and verification mechanisms that preserve the authenticity of every law enacted.
“The National Assembly is an institution built on records, procedure, and institutional memory,” the Speaker said. “Every Bill, every amendment, and every Act follows a traceable constitutional and parliamentary pathway. Once a law is passed and assented to, its integrity is preserved through certification and custody by the legislature. There is no ambiguity about what constitutes the law.”
He further emphasised that the House would remain proactive in defending the integrity of its work, making it clear that the only authentic and authoritative versions of the four tax Acts are those certified and released by the National Assembly. Any other documents or texts in circulation, he warned, should be disregarded as they do not form part of the official legislative record.
Consequently, the Clerk to the National Assembly has concluded the process of aligning the duly passed, assented to, and certified Acts with the Federal Government Printing Press. This step is aimed at ensuring accuracy, conformity, and uniformity in all official copies of the laws. Hard copies of the certified Acts have also been produced and circulated to all members of the National Assembly, while being made available to the public to guarantee uniform reference and legislative certainty.
Beyond the immediate release of the Acts, the House disclosed that its Ad-Hoc Committee, chaired by Rt. Hon. Muktar Aliyu Betara, OON, continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding the circulation of unauthorised versions of the tax laws. The committee is expected to recommend measures to prevent a recurrence and further strengthen the reliability and security of parliamentary records.
Legislative analysts say the House’s response sends a strong signal about institutional self-correction and accountability, particularly at a time when tax reforms are central to the Federal Government’s economic agenda. By openly addressing the controversy and placing certified documents in the public domain, the leadership of the House is seen as reinforcing democratic norms and public trust.
The House of Representatives, under Speaker Abbas, reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to constitutionalism, the rule of law, transparency, and accountable governance. It pledged to continue strengthening internal controls and upholding institutional discipline in order to protect the integrity of Nigeria’s legislative process in the collective interest of the nation.
The statement announcing the release of the Acts was signed by the Spokesman of the House of Representatives, Rep. Akintunde Rotimi, mnipr, who reiterated that the action reflects the House leadership’s resolve to ensure clarity, certainty, and confidence in Nigeria’s laws.
As the tax reforms begin to take effect, stakeholders are expected to rely exclusively on the certified versions released by the National Assembly, marking what the House describes as a critical step in preserving legislative integrity and fostering informed public engagement with Nigeria’s evolving fiscal framework.
