ABUJA, NIGERIA — June 26, 2025
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is expected to sign into law four transformative tax reform bills today, Thursday, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, marking a significant milestone in Nigeria’s ongoing drive to modernise its revenue system and improve the ease of doing business.
According to a statement released by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the four bills, namely the Nigeria Tax Bill (Ease of Doing Business), the Nigeria Tax Administration Bill, the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill, and the Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Bill, were passed by the National Assembly after extensive consultations with key stakeholders across the economic and business sectors.
The signing ceremony is expected to be witnessed by top political and government figures, including the President of the Senate, Speaker of the House of Representatives, leaders of both chambers, as well as the Chairman of the Governors Forum, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, and the Attorney General of the Federation, among others.
These bills are designed to overhaul Nigeria’s fiscal and tax administration framework with the aim of enhancing revenue generation, promoting transparency, simplifying tax compliance, and fostering an investor-friendly environment.
The Nigeria Tax Bill is particularly aimed at consolidating the country’s previously fragmented tax statutes into a harmonised legal structure. It is expected to reduce the multiplicity of taxes, eliminate duplication, and lower compliance burdens on individuals and businesses, especially small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
The Nigeria Tax Administration Bill introduces a uniform legal and operational structure for tax administration at the federal, state, and local government levels, aiming to improve coordination and reduce bureaucratic inefficiencies.
Equally pivotal is the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill, which repeals the existing Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) Act and establishes a new, performance-driven national revenue agency, the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS). This new agency will have an expanded mandate that includes the collection of non-tax revenues and will be held to higher standards of accountability and efficiency.
Lastly, the Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Bill proposes a governance structure that enables stronger cooperation among tax authorities across the three tiers of government. It also establishes oversight bodies such as a Tax Appeal Tribunal and an Office of the Tax Ombudsman to promote transparency and protect taxpayer rights.
With the presidential assent, the laws are poised to reshape Nigeria’s fiscal framework, providing a stronger foundation for economic growth, investor confidence, and domestic resource mobilisation.
