Tinubu’s Government Delays Release of Signed Tax Acts to the Public

Mayowa DurosinmiJune 30, 20251 Mins read448

Four days after President Bola Tinubu announced the signing of four tax bills into law, the federal government has yet to release the final assented versions of the Acts to the public.

President Tinubu, via a series of posts on X on June 26, confirmed his assent to the following bills: the Nigeria Tax Act, the Nigeria Tax Administration Act, the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, and the Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Act. The announcement raised widespread public interest due to the far-reaching implications of the legislation.

However, checks by West Africa Weekly have revealed that the final signed versions of the laws have not been published in the country’s Official Gazette, a critical step for public access and transparency. Only earlier drafts and summaries from the legislative process remain available.

Although Nigerian law does not mandate a fixed timeline for the publication of assented Acts, it is a longstanding expectation that such documents be promptly gazetted and made publicly accessible. The responsibility for this lies with the press department of the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation, which oversees the dissemination of official documents, including laws, audit reports, and statutory instruments.

Searches of both the Ministry’s and the Ministry of Justice’s websites yielded no results for the newly signed tax laws. Further inquiries to the Clerk of the National Assembly also confirmed that the final texts have not been made public.

Inquiries sent by West Africa Weekly to the State House, the Ministry of Information, and the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, have gone unanswered as of press time.

Despite the current lack of transparency, the implementation of the laws is slated to begin on January 1, 2026. President Tinubu has described the legislation as “pivotal to the success of [his] administration’s reforms and the country’s prosperity.”

The continued absence of the final Acts from public records has raised concerns about the administration’s commitment to openness. It could deepen public scepticism as the country prepares for their eventual enforcement.

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