The Federal Government has insisted that effective implementation of the new tax reforms remains critical to reducing Nigeria’s dependence on borrowing and easing inflationary pressures.
The position was reiterated by the Budget Office of the Federation amid calls for the suspension of the tax reforms. Critics have raised concerns over alleged discrepancies between the tax laws passed by the National Assembly and those gazetted after presidential assent.
However, the government warned that halting reforms based on unresolved claims could weaken fiscal stability and undermine economic planning.
FG Warns Against Delaying Tax Reform Implementation
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Tanimu Yakubu, Director-General of the Budget Office, cautioned against allowing speculation to stall governance.
“Where clarification is required, it must be provided; where correction is required, it must be effected; where investigation is required, it must proceed,” Yakubu said.
According to him, taxation represents a democratic covenant between citizens and the state. Therefore, trust, transparency, and verified information must guide public engagement on fiscal matters.
FG Defends Rule of Law in Tax Reform Process
Yakubu said the Budget Office acknowledged concerns raised by the Minority Caucus of the House of Representatives. Nevertheless, he stressed that the sanctity of the law remains central to constitutional democracy.
He warned that suggestions of post-assent alterations without due process would undermine the republic and erode public confidence.
“A nation cannot be governed by insinuation or sustained on circulating documents of uncertain origin,” he said, adding that public trust, once damaged, is difficult to restore.
FG Supports Probe, Moves to Restore Confidence
While welcoming the National Assembly’s decision to investigate the allegations, Yakubu said institutional inquiry—not conjecture—offers the appropriate response.
He also agreed that citizens and businesses deserve clear and authoritative versions of the laws they must obey. However, he explained that certified legislative records and official publications determine legal authenticity.
To restore confidence, Yakubu said the Budget Office has proposed measures such as publishing verified tax laws in a single public repository, improving access to Certified True Copies, and aligning all regulations strictly with authenticated texts.
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to fiscal transparency, economic stability, and reforms that promote growth while protecting vulnerable citizens.
