The Chairman of the Presidential Tax Committee, Taiwo Oyedele, has dismissed claims that Nigeria’s newly gazetted tax laws were amended, clarifying that the committee allegedly responsible for such changes has not even convened.
Oyedele addressed the controversy during an interview on Channels TV, describing online reports about alterations to the tax laws as misleading and unfounded.
“I appeared on Channels TV to discuss issues surrounding the gazetted copies of the new tax laws. To be clear, this is not about assigning blame between the legislature and executive, nor is it political—it is a matter of process and governance,” Oyedele said on Monday, December 22, 2025.
He distanced himself and the committee from a viral document purporting to list specific changes, stressing that the committee had not yet met when the document surfaced.
“The document circulating online, claiming to outline changes to the tax laws, appeared before the committee had even convened,” he stated.
Oyedele warned that misinformation regarding tax reforms could undermine public trust, noting that taxation is central to the social contract between citizens and the state.
“Tax policy directly affects citizens, so it must be grounded in facts and transparency, not fear or falsehoods, which only create uncertainty and erode confidence,” he said.
He called on the public and stakeholders to refrain from spreading unverified claims, urging instead a focus on strengthening institutional processes.
“Instead of amplifying misinformation, this is an opportunity to deepen accountability, reinforce governance processes, and build a tax system that supports Nigeria’s growth,” Oyedele added.
He also cautioned that delaying or rejecting the reforms based on false claims would harm the economy. “Halting reform is not neutral—it preserves a broken system that overtaxes workers, burdens small businesses, perpetuates multiple taxes, and impedes economic growth,” he said.
The comments come amid calls from the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) for President Bola Tinubu to establish an independent panel to investigate allegations that the gazetted tax laws differ materially from the versions passed by the National Assembly.
In a Freedom of Information request submitted last Saturday, SERAP’s deputy director, Kolawole Oluwadare, urged the President to “promptly, independently, impartially, transparently and effectively investigate” claims of discrepancies between the National Assembly-approved bills and the laws ultimately gazetted.
SERAP recommended that the panel be led by a retired Justice of the Supreme Court or Court of Appeal and that its findings be made public, with any responsible parties facing prosecution.
The group also called for the publication of certified true copies of key tax laws, including the National Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, the Joint Revenue Board of Nigeria (Establishment) Act, the Nigeria Tax Administration Act, and the Nigeria Tax Act.
SERAP’s concerns include alleged insertion of new coercive fiscal powers—such as arrest authority, garnishment without court order, compulsory USD computation, and appeal security deposits—into the final Acts without legislative approval.
The organisation gave the government a seven-day deadline to act, warning that legal measures would follow if its requests were not met within the timeframe.
