Reject ‘Distorted’ Tax Law, NLC Tells Nigerians

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called on Nigerians to reject what it called distorted or falsified tax law, stressing the importance of inclusivity and fairness in the formulation of fiscal policies.

NLC President, Joe Ajaero, made the call in his 2025 Christmas message, saying that distortions and alleged forgery associated with certain tax policies undermine credibility and public trust.

“Together, in this season and beyond, we must insist on Tax Justice where the rich pay their fair share and all forms of regressive taxation are removed,” he said in a Wednesday statement.

“Any tax system that is mired in apparent distortion and outright forgery is unacceptable and should therefore be rejected by all.”

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He called for social and tax justice, insisting that all citizens must have access to quality healthcare, education, and security, while workers’ rights and rewards are respected.

According to the NLC President, sustainable reform requires patience, transparency, and broad ownership, rather than hurried legislation driven by political interests.

“It is better to patiently craft a law that is broadly crafted and owned than rush into one filled with serious errors and outright political manipulations,” he stated.

Ajaero asked Nigerians to remain united in demanding equitable governance and reiterated its commitment to mobilising workers to resist policies that worsen economic hardship.

A member of the House of Representatives, Abdulsamad Dasuki, recently raised concerns about what he described as discrepancies between tax laws passed by the National Assembly and the versions subsequently gazetted and made available to the public.

Dasuku argued that his legislative rights had been breached because the content of the gazetted tax laws did not reflect what lawmakers debated and approved on the floor of the House.

President Bola Tinubu signed four major tax reform bills into law on June 26, 2025.

The laws, the Nigeria Tax Act, the Nigeria Tax Administration Act, the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, and the Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Act, are collectively known as the Nigerian Tax Reform Acts.

They are intended to modernise Nigeria’s tax system, broaden the tax base and improve efficiency, including replacing the Federal Inland Revenue Service with the Nigeria Revenue Service, which has expanded oversight powers.

However, the reforms have faced mounting resistance amid claims that the versions gazetted by the executive differ substantially from those approved by lawmakers.

The House of Representatives has since set up a committee to investigate allegations of forgery, while civil society groups and some state governors have raised concerns about potential economic hardship and revenue-sharing implications.