Muhammad Nami, former chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, has condemned unauthorized alterations to the Tax Administration Act and urged the National Assembly to cancel the gazetted version. He called for an investigation and prosecution of those responsible while advising the executive to halt related regulations. The Peoples Redemption Party has demanded suspension of the disputed laws, but the federal government defends their January 2026 implementation.
Muhammad Nami, the immediate past chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), issued a statement on December 22, 2025, condemning what he described as unauthorized alterations to the Tax Administration Act. He advised the National Assembly to pass a resolution for the outright cancellation of the gazetted Tax Administration Acts, noting that the version signed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu differs from the one passed by lawmakers.
Nami highlighted allegations raised by House of Representatives member Abdussamad Dasuki (PDP, Sokoto) during plenary the previous week, who pointed to discrepancies between the passed bills and the gazetted copies. 'The occurrence of this incident is not only unusual but also regrettable, and calls for a proper and unimpeded investigation, as well as the prosecution of the perpetrators,' Nami stated. He emphasized that sections 4 and 58 of the 1999 Constitution grant exclusive law-making powers to the National Assembly, making any post-passage alterations unconstitutional and void.
The former FIRS chief urged the executive to instruct the FIRS to suspend prepared regulations and circulars to avoid further confusion in the tax system. He opposed calls for stakeholders' consultations on the altered document but rejected discarding the entire tax reform package, which began in 2022. Instead, Nami advocated standing with the National Assembly to implement the laws in January 2026, arguing they would block revenue leakages, fund development, and encourage taxing prosperity over poverty to support small and medium enterprises.
Meanwhile, the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) demanded immediate suspension of the disputed tax laws on December 22, 2025, citing the alterations. In contrast, the federal government defended the planned January 2026 rollout, warning that delays would harm the economy.
