Tension continued to rise on Monday over Nigeria’s newly passed tax laws as lawmakers, students and civil society groups stepped up pressure on the Federal Government to suspend their implementation, while a court battle over the legislation officially began in Abuja.
The Minority Caucus of the House of Representatives joined the growing opposition, calling for an immediate pause to the planned rollout of the tax reforms, which are scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2026. Their demand came amid allegations that the versions of the laws published by the Federal Government may not be the same as those passed by the National Assembly and signed by President Bola Tinubu.
The dispute first surfaced two weeks ago when Abdussamad Dasuki, a Peoples Democratic Party lawmaker from Sokoto State, raised alarm during plenary that the tax Acts lawmakers approved were later altered before being gazetted. He warned that any such changes, if proven, would amount to a serious breach of the 1999 Constitution.
In response, the House of Representatives set up a seven-member committee, led by Borno lawmaker Muktar Betara, to investigate the claims and report back to the chamber.
In a statement issued on Monday, Minority Leader Kingsley Chinda and other caucus leaders said pressing ahead with implementation while the investigation is ongoing would be wrong. They described the allegations as deeply troubling and insisted that Nigerians deserve clarity on laws that will directly affect their livelihoods and businesses.
The caucus reminded the public that the National Assembly is the lawful custodian of legislation, stressing that only laws transmitted by the Clerk of the National Assembly and signed by the President are valid. It warned Nigerians to ignore any versions of the tax laws that do not meet these requirements, saying any attempt to enforce altered laws would undermine the authority of parliament.
The lawmakers therefore urged the Federal Government to halt implementation until the probe is concluded and the authenticity of the laws is fully established.
The call was echoed by the National Association of Nigerian Students, which warned that students across the country could take to the streets if the government insists on enforcing the tax reforms next year. NANS said it was unacceptable to implement a law whose content is still being questioned and accused authorities of failing to properly educate the public on the reforms.
According to the students’ body, many Nigerians remain in the dark about what the new tax laws mean for them, blaming the Federal Inland Revenue Service for relying on limited and elitist sensitisation efforts that do not reach ordinary citizens.
Despite the growing backlash, the Federal Government has remained firm. Following a meeting with President Tinubu, the Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, Taiwo Oyedele, reaffirmed that the Nigeria Tax Act and the Nigeria Tax Administration Act would still take effect on January 1, 2026.
As the political disagreement deepened, the matter also moved to the courts. On Monday, the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja ordered an accelerated hearing of a suit challenging the authenticity of the tax laws and their planned commencement date. While the court declined to stop implementation for now, it agreed to fast-track the case.
The judge fixed hearing of the motion on notice for Wednesday, December 31, setting the stage for a legal showdown.
With lawmakers, students, civil groups and the executive now locked in disagreement, the fate of Nigeria’s most ambitious tax reforms in decades will likely be decided by both political negotiations and the courts in the days ahead.
