The Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, Taiwo Oyedele, has refuted reports claiming that the Federal Government has suspended the issuance of guidelines for implementing the new tax laws.
A media outlet had reported that Oyedele instructed the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) and the Joint Revenue Board (JRB) to pause operations on the new tax laws, citing uncertainty over the final version. The report suggested that implementation could not proceed until the legal texts were clarified.
Speaking in Lagos on Tuesday after delivering a keynote address at the 2026 Economic Outlook event organised by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), themed “ICAN@60: Accountability as the Bedrock for National Development,” Oyedele addressed concerns regarding the circulating versions of the tax laws.
He explained that the uncertainty prompted him to instruct his team to obtain a printed copy from the Government Printer, as stipulated by the Acts Authentication Act. “The Acts Authentication Act says whatever the Government Printer publishes is the evidence of the law that was passed,” Oyedele said.
According to Oyedele, the Government Printer initially published a version considered official by the executive, but lawmakers later disputed it, arguing that it did not accurately reflect what was passed by the National Assembly. The legislature subsequently conducted its own review and produced separate gazetted copies, which were circulated in digital format.
However, Oyedele said his team could not access the printed copies from the Government Printer, as officials informed them that all copies had been taken by the National Assembly and would not be made publicly available until the lawmakers concluded their review.
To quell misinformation, Oyedele reacted on his verified X (formerly Twitter) handle on Thursday, posting a screenshot of the report headline and watermarked it “Fake News.”
The clarification comes amid heightened public interest in the new tax laws, which include provisions affecting personal income tax, corporate tax, and value-added tax. Analysts have said that clear guidelines are essential for smooth compliance and to avoid confusion among taxpayers.
