Updated: Tax Reform Bills to Transform Governance, Tax Collection in Nigeria – Akpabio

Senate President Godswill Akpabio has affirmed that the passage of the two Tax Reform bills will bring about a significant advancement in governance and a radical change in Nigeria’s tax collection and distribution practices.

“These bills will add immense value to governance and transform how taxes are collected and shared in Nigeria,” he said.

Persecondnews reports that the Senate on Wednesday passed two out of four major tax reform bills, marking a significant milestone in the ongoing overhaul of the nation’s tax administration framework.

The two bills, one seeking to repeal the Federal Inland Revenue Service (Establishment) Act and another to establish the Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Bill 2025 along with the Nigeria Revenue Service Bill 2025, were passed following a clause-by-clause consideration during the Committee of the Whole and their subsequent third reading on the Senate floor.

Akpabio assured that the remaining two bills would be finalised tomorrow (Thursday), even if it required extended sitting hours.

“We are committed to concluding the outstanding bills tomorrow, even if we have to stay here until 10 p.m.,” he said.

Persecondnews recalls that President Bola Tinubu had in October 2024 transmitted the four tax reform bills to the National Assembly for consideration and passage.

The bills, drafted by the Presidential Committee on Tax Reforms and Fiscal Policy, aim to revolutionize Nigeria’s tax landscape by overhauling the existing tax laws, promoting exports, and streamlining tax administration.

However, the bills faced stiff opposition, mainly from the Northern parts of the country, particularly from Northern governors who had described the bills as “anti-North.”

The debates of the bills took a divisive turn, pitting the North against the South, with the contentious issue of VAT sharing formula at the forefront of the controversy.

The National Economic Council (NEC) chaired by Vice-President Kashim Shettima had urged President Tinubu to withdraw the tax reform bills for further consultations.

Tinubu, however, stood his grounds, asserting that all concerns regarding the bills should be addressed during deliberation in the National Assembly, instead of withdrawing the bills.