Tax Law Alteration confirmed as Reps Minority Caucus Adhoc Committee uncovers discrepancies in Nigeria Tax Administration Act 2025, citing three versions in circulation.

Saturday, January 24, 2026 | Abuja

Tax Law Alteration confirmed by Reps Minority Committee

Tax Law Alteration has been formally confirmed by the House of Representatives Minority Caucus Adhoc Committee constituted to probe alleged illegal changes to Nigeria’s newly enacted tax laws, particularly the Nigeria Tax Administration Act, 2025.

The seven-man fact-finding committee, chaired by Hon. Afam Victor Ogene, disclosed in its preliminary report that the concerns earlier raised on the floor of the House by Hon. Abdulsamad Dasuki were valid. The committee stated that multiple discrepancies were discovered when the Certified True Copies (CTCs) released by the House were compared with the earlier gazetted versions.

GMTNewsng had earlier reported the controversy surrounding the alleged Tax Law Alteration, following Dasuki’s alarm over the circulation of documents that differed from what lawmakers passed and the President assented to.

According to the committee, three different versions of the Nigeria Tax Administration Act, 2025 were found to be in circulation, a development it described as a serious procedural anomaly and an encroachment on the constitutional powers of the legislature.

“There were some alterations as alleged by Hon. Dasuki, especially in the Nigeria Tax Administration Act, 2025,” the committee stated in its interim report.

Speaker’s directive confirms procedural breach

The Minority Caucus recalled that on January 3, 2026, the House spokesperson, Rep. Akintunde Rotimi, announced that the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, directed the public release of the four tax reform Acts duly signed into law by the President. These include:

Nigeria Tax Act, 2025

Nigeria Tax Administration Act, 2025

Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, 2025

Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Act, 2025

The statement added that the Clerk of the National Assembly was instructed to align the Acts with the Federal Government Printing Press “to ensure accuracy, conformity, and uniformity.”

The committee noted that this directive itself was a clear indication that the earlier gazetted versions contained irregularities linked to Tax Law Alteration.

Key areas affected by Tax Law Alteration

Highlighting the contentious provisions, the committee listed several sections of the Nigeria Tax Administration Act, 2025 that materially differed from the version passed by the National Assembly:

Section 29(1): Reporting Thresholds

While the certified version approved ₦50 million for individuals and ₦100 million for companies, the gazetted version reduced the thresholds to ₦25 million for individuals and altered company thresholds, thereby widening the tax net without legislative approval.

Section 41(8) & (9): Mandatory 20% Deposit for Appeals

The gazetted Act introduced a requirement for taxpayers to deposit 20% of disputed tax sums before appealing to the High Court–provisions absent in the National Assembly’s version.

Section 64: Enforcement and Arrest Powers

The gazetted version expanded enforcement powers to include arrests and asset sales without court orders, a move the committee described as unlawful.

Section 3(1)(b): Definition of Federal Taxes

Petroleum Income Tax and VAT were removed from the federal tax definition in the gazetted copy, contrary to the certified legislative version.

Section 39(3): Currency of Tax Computation

The gazetted law mandated dollar-based tax computation for petroleum operations, while the authentic Act prescribed computation in the transaction currency.

Alterations also found in Revenue Service Act

The committee further identified Tax Law Alteration in the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, 2025, particularly in Sections 30(1)(d) and 30(3), where provisions empowering the National Assembly to exercise oversight through mandatory reporting were deleted in the gazetted version.

“This deletion shows total disregard for parliamentary oversight and the doctrine of checks and balances,” the committee said.

Call for extended investigation

Given the scale of the anomalies, the Minority Caucus Adhoc Committee concluded that the evidence before it was sufficient to justify a deeper probe.

“The illegalities observed undermine the constitutional powers of the National Assembly and Nigeria’s democracy,” the committee said, requesting an extension of time to conduct a more comprehensive investigation.

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The Nigeria Police Force in Gombe State has arrested four suspects over alleged conspiracy and possession of 304 Counterfeit United States 100-dollar notes.

The command’s spokesperson, DSP Buhari Abdullahi, confirmed the arrests in a statement issued to journalists on Friday in Gombe.

According to Abdullahi, the suspects were apprehended during an intelligence-led operation carried out by officers of the Dukku Divisional Headquarters at about 11:00 a.m. on January 15, 2026.

He identified the suspects as Kabiru Abubakar, 29; Abubakar Aliyu, 30; Abdulrahman Mustapha, 22; and Isah Alhasan, 45, all from Dukku, Kaduna and Kano States.

“The suspects were arrested in possession of three hundred and four pieces of Counterfeit United States 100-dollar notes,” Abdullahi said.

He disclosed that preliminary investigations showed the suspects confessed to the offence and implicated another individual alleged to be the supplier of the fake currency.

In a related development, the police spokesperson said two additional suspects were arrested the same day in possession of substances suspected to be mercury.

According to him, the suspects admitted the substance was allegedly used in the production of Counterfeit currency.

Abdullahi further revealed that five other suspects were arrested for various offences, including a suspected bandit, with dangerous exhibits recovered during separate operations.

He added that a kidnapped victim was also rescued unhurt in the course of the police operations.

All the suspects, Abdullahi said, remain in police custody as investigations continue at the State Criminal Investigation Department.

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L-R: Peter Costello, President Upstream, Shell Plc, Wael Sawan, Global Chief Executive Officer Shell Plc and President Bola Tinubu during a visit by the Shell Executives to the President at the State House, Abuja. Thursday, January 22, 2026

Bonga South West: President Tinubu approves targeted incentives to boost jobs, FX inflows, and investment through Shell’s Bonga South West offshore oil project.

Friday, January 23, 2026 | Abuja 

Bonga South West received a major policy lift as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu approved the gazetting of targeted, investment-linked incentives to support the proposed deep-offshore oil project by Shell and its partners.

According to a State House press release issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication, Mr. Sunday Dare, the incentives are designed to attract new capital into the oil and gas sector while safeguarding government revenues. President Tinubu also directed the Special Adviser to the President on Energy, Mrs. Olu Verheijen, to ensure the incentives are gazetted in line with Nigeria’s existing legal and fiscal frameworks.

Receiving a Shell delegation led by its Global Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Wael Sawan, the President explained that the incentives tied to Bonga South West are disciplined, ring-fenced, and globally competitive, with a clear focus on incremental production and strong local content delivery.

“These incentives are not blanket concessions. They are investment-linked and focused on new capital, in-country value addition, and Nigerian participation across the value chain,” President Tinubu said, stressing that Bonga South West is expected to reach Final Investment Decision within the first term of his administration.

The President described Bonga South West as strategic to Nigeria’s economic growth, noting that the project has the potential to create thousands of direct and indirect jobs, generate significant foreign-exchange inflows, and deliver sustained government revenues over its lifecycle. He added that it would further deepen local capacity in offshore engineering, fabrication, logistics, and energy services.

Reaffirming his administration’s commitment to policy stability and regulatory certainty, Tinubu said reforms in the energy sector are critical to restoring investor confidence and positioning Nigeria as a preferred destination for large-scale offshore investments, including Bonga South West.

He also disclosed that Shell and its partners have invested nearly US$7 billion in Nigeria within the last 13 months, particularly in Bonga North and HI projects, describing the investments as clear evidence that Nigeria’s economic and energy-sector reforms are delivering tangible results.

In his response, Mr. Sawan said Nigeria’s investment climate has improved remarkably under the Tinubu administration, adding that Shell is increasingly confident in Nigeria as a destination for long-term investments, with Bonga South West seen as a flagship opportunity.

The Shell delegation included senior executives from the company’s global and Nigerian leadership.

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