President Bola Tinubu has insisted that his tax reform bills must go through the National Assembly without withdrawals as suggested by the National Economic Council (NEC).

Chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima, the NEC is composed of all the governors in the country. Tinubu’s position was communicated in a statement signed by Bayo Onanuga, the special adviser to the president on information and strategy, on Friday.

The NEC had recommended the withdrawal of the bills on Thursday, saying it was necessary for broader consultation. Before the recommendation, the Northern Governors Forum had expressed its discontent with the bills during a meeting held in Kaduna State on Monday.

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“President Bola Tinubu has received the National Economic Council’s recommendation that the tax reform bills already sent to the National Assembly be withdrawn for further consultation,” the statement from the Presidency read.

“President Tinubu commends the National Economic Council members, especially Vice President Kashim Shettima and the 36 State Governors, for their advice. He believes that the legislative process, which has already begun, provides an opportunity for inputs and necessary changes without withdrawing the bills from the National Assembly.”

The president said that whatever complaints people had against the bills could be channelled through the legislature for consideration.

“While urging the NEC to allow the process to take its full course, President Tinubu welcomes further consultations and engagement with key stakeholders to address any reservations about the bills while the National Assembly considers them for passage,” the Presidency continued.

“When President Tinubu set up the Presidential Committee on Tax and Fiscal Policy Reform in August 2023, he had only one objective: to reposition the economy for better productivity and efficiency and make the operating environment for investment and businesses more conducive.

“This objective remains more critical even today than ever before. The Committee worked for over a year and received inputs from various segments of society across the geopolitical zones, including trade associations, professional bodies, different Ministries and Government Agencies, Governors, traders, students, business owners, and the organised private sector.

“The tax reform bills that emerged were distilled from the extensive work of the Presidential Committee. The tax bills before the National Assembly aim to streamline Nigeria’s tax administration processes, completely overhaul the nation’s tax operations, and align them with global best practices.”

The president’s adviser on information and strategy highlighted the issues each bill was aimed at addressing.

“The Nigeria Tax Bill: This Bill seeks to eliminate multiple taxation and make Nigeria’s economy more competitive by simplifying tax obligations for businesses and individuals nationwide.

“The Nigeria Tax Administration Bill (NTAB): This Bill proposes new rules governing the administration of all taxes in the country. Its objective is to harmonise tax administrative processes across federal, state and local jurisdictions to ease taxpayers’ compliance and enhance the revenue for all tiers of government.

“The Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill: The Bill seeks to re-establish the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) as the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) to better reflect its mandate as the revenue agency for the entire federation, not just the Federal Government.

“The Joint Revenue Board Establishment Bill: This Bill proposes creating a Joint Revenue Board to replace the Joint Tax Board, covering federal and all state tax authorities.

“The fourth bill will also establish the Office of Tax Ombudsman under the Joint Revenue Board, protecting taxpayers’ interests and facilitating dispute resolution.The bills’ overarching objective is to effectively coordinate federal, state, and local tax authorities, thereby eliminating the overlapping responsibilities, confusion, and inefficiency that have plagued tax administration in Nigeria for decades.”

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He further justified the essence of those bills by saying that the existing tax framework was fragmented.

Taxes such as the Company Income Tax (CIT), Personal Income Tax (PIT), Capital Gains Tax (CGT), Petroleum Profits Tax (PPT), Tertiary Education Tax (TET), Value-Added Tax (VAT) and other taxing provisions in numerous laws are administered separately.

The president wants to consolidate these numerous taxes, integrating CIT, PIT, CGT, VAT, PPT, and excise duties into a unified structure. Tinubu argues this will reduce administrative fragmentation.