Nigerians, It’s Time to Say “No” to a Flawed Tax Roll‑out

17th December, 2025

By Jikan waziri 

Hon. Abdulsammad Dasuki (PDP Sokoto) hit the headlines today, warning that the tax reform laws published in the official gazette don’t match what the National Assembly actually passed. He called it a straightup breach of the Constitution and a dangerous precedent for our democracy. If the very text that’s supposed to become law is different from what our elected reps voted on, how can we trust that the rules are fair or even lawful?

The discrepancies aren’t just paperwork – they strike at the heart of legislative credibility. Dasuki spent three days cross‑checking the gazetted copy against the House and Senate records, and he found material differences. That kind of opacity fuels the “tax brouhaha” that’s already stirring public anger. Nigerians are already stretched thin, and a tax system that’s been altered behind closed doors feels like another hidden levy.

What’s more, the reforms themselves, while promising relief for small businesses and low‑income earners, are being rolled out on shaky legal ground. The new Nigeria Revenue Service is set to take over collection, and a 4% Development Levy is slated to appear on company ledgers. If the law itself is questionable, the implementation could turn into a bureaucratic nightmare, with retroactive penalties and endless disputes.

Why Reject the Whole Package Come January 2026?

✓Legislative integrity matters; accepting a law that wasn’t properly passed sets a precedent that could be abused by future administrations.

✓Transparency is key;the public deserves to see the exact text they’re expected to obey, not a “doctored” version from the Ministry of Information.

✓Economic impact; uncertainty over tax obligations can stall investment, hurt SMEs, and deepen the cost‑of‑living crisis that many Nigerians are already feeling.

In short, supporting Hon. Dasuki’s call for a full review isn’t about rejecting every tax relief measure; it’s about demanding that the law be what it’s supposed to be a transparent, democratically‑approved framework. Until the National Assembly reconciles the gazetted copy with the original bills, Nigerians have every right to reject this entire tax saga when it kicks in next month. Let’s hold our leaders to the Constitution and make sure the tax code we get is the one we actually voted for.