By Reportcircle News
After weeks of mounting public scrutiny and legal speculation, the National Assembly has broken its silence on the controversy surrounding Nigeria’s newly enacted tax laws, ordering an urgent internal review and fresh gazetting to restore clarity and confidence in the legislative process.
In a statement issued on Friday on behalf of the Clerk to the National Assembly, the management confirmed awareness of widespread concerns over the passage, presidential assent and publication of four major tax-related Acts signed into law in 2025.
The issues raised centre on alleged discrepancies between versions passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives, the texts assented to by the President, and the copies published in the Official Gazette.
The laws under review form the backbone of Nigeria’s ongoing tax and revenue reforms: the Nigeria Tax Act, 2025; the Nigeria Tax Administration Act, 2025; the Joint Revenue Board of Nigeria (Establishment) Act, 2025; and the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, 2025.
According to the statement, made available to journalists by the Director of Information, Bullah Audu Bi-Allah, the leadership of the National Assembly has activated its relevant Committees and management structures to conduct a comprehensive administrative and procedural review of the legislative process that produced the Acts.
The Assembly stressed that the exercise is not political, but institutional.
It is being conducted strictly within the framework of the 1999 Constitution, the Acts Authentication Act, the Standing Orders of both Chambers, and long-established parliamentary practice.
As an immediate confidence-building measure, the leadership has directed the Clerk to the National Assembly to work with appropriate government agencies to ensure the proper publication of the laws in the Official Gazette.
Certified True Copies of the Acts, as assented to by the President, will also be made available to stakeholders and members of the public on request.
In an apparent attempt to calm fears of legislative overreach or legal defect, the National Assembly was emphatic that the review does not call into question the validity of the laws or the lawmaking authority of either Chamber.
Rather, it said, the exercise is aimed solely at ensuring that the final public records accurately reflect the decisions already taken by the legislature.
“The review is confined to institutional processes and procedures,” the statement noted, adding that it does not encroach on the constitutional roles of the executive or judiciary.
Reaffirming its commitment to constitutionalism, separation of powers and due process, the Assembly assured Nigerians that any administrative or procedural gaps identified would be addressed strictly in accordance with the law.
The leadership also appealed for restraint, urging the public and stakeholders to avoid speculation while the review is ongoing.
It pledged continued transparency and accountability, promising to provide further updates as necessary.
For a reform agenda built heavily around tax efficiency and revenue mobilisation, the Assembly’s intervention signals an attempt to douse uncertainty swiftly before procedural questions begin to undermine policy credibility or investor confidence.
