By Dalena Reporters l January 2, 2026
ABUJA — Nigeria’s House of Representatives Minority Caucus on Friday, January 2, 2026, formally launched an independent investigation into allegations that the newly assented tax reform laws were altered after being passed by the National Assembly, deepening controversy over the integrity of a major fiscal overhaul implemented at the start of the year.
The caucus composed of opposition lawmakers constituted a seven-member fact-finding committee led by Rep. Afam Ogene (Ogbaru Federal Constituency, Anambra State) to examine discrepancies between the versions of the tax laws approved by both chambers of parliament and the copies gazetted by the Federal Government following presidential assent.
The move follows allegations first raised on the floor of the House by Rep. Abdussamad Dasuki (Sokoto State), who maintained that the version of the tax laws published in the Official Gazette differs materially from the harmonised bills passed by lawmakers. According to critics, these discrepancies could amount to unauthorised amendments that were not subjected to legislative scrutiny a claim that has stirred public concern about the legal validity of the tax regime.
Although the Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas, previously directed that the harmonised version be re-gazetted and a certified true copy issued in order to calm tensions, the Minority Caucus said that a separate, independent inquiry remains necessary to establish full transparency and accountability.
In a statement, House Minority Leader Kingsley Chinda said the panel’s mandate includes gathering and comparing copies of the tax laws passed by both chambers, those signed by the President, and the version ultimately published, after which it will report back to the caucus with recommendations on any constitutional, procedural or policy violations that may have occurred.
The controversy comes as the **tax reform package encompassing four major acts formally took effect on January 1, 2026, despite calls from some lawmakers and civil society actors for a suspension of implementation until the full facts are clarified.
Opposition voices, including former presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar and Labour Party leader Peter Obi, have also publicly questioned the integrity of the laws, alleging that they grant enhanced enforcement powers, impose burdensome requirements on taxpayers, and remove key accountability mechanisms that were part of the bills originally passed by the legislature.
The outcome of the Minority Caucus’s probe and any subsequent legislative or judicial actions could have significant implications for the legality of the tax laws, ongoing fiscal policy debates, and public confidence in the democratic process as Nigerians begin to adjust to a new tax framework aimed at broadening revenue collection and formalising the nation’s tax system.