Senate Passes Final Two Tax Reform Bills, Completing Four-Bill Overhaul of Tax System
The Nigerian Senate has passed the remaining two tax reform bills submitted by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in October 2024, completing the approval of four key tax reform bills aimed at overhauling Nigeria’s tax system.
The two bills passed on Thursday are the Nigeria Tax Administration Bill, 2025, and the Nigeria Tax Bill, 2025. Earlier, on Wednesday, the Senate had passed the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill, 2025, and the Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Bill, 2025.
These bills collectively seek to repeal outdated tax laws, consolidate the legal frameworks relating to taxation, establish new tax authorities including a Joint Revenue Board, a Tax Appeal Tribunal, and the Office of the Tax Ombud, and improve tax assessment, collection, and accountability across federal, state, and local governments.
The Senate Committee on Finance, chaired by Senator Sani Musa, presented reports on the bills after extensive consultations and clause-by-clause considerations to address controversies, including contentious issues around Value Added Tax (VAT). The Senate rejected a proposal to increase VAT to 10 percent, retaining it at 7.5 percent.
After the passage of the bills, President of the Senate Godswill Akpabio commended the lawmakers for their contributions and urged further observations for refinement.
A committee led by Senator Yahaya Abdullahi was set up to harmonize the bills with existing laws.
The reforms are expected to strengthen Nigeria’s tax institutions, improve compliance, and optimize tax collection nationwide, benefiting all Nigerians.
The Nigeria Tax Administration Bill, 2025, introduces a new VAT sharing formula: 10% for the Federal Government, 55% for states, and 35% for local governments. It also replaces the “derivation” principle with “place of consumption” in VAT allocation, ensuring that revenue is distributed based on where goods and services are consumed.
The Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill, 2025, renames the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) to the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) and establishes an Executive Vice Chairman to head the agency, with a non-executive Chairman leading the board. The bill also reduces the service cost of collection from 4% to 2% and mandates the inclusion of six Executive Directors, one from each geopolitical zone.
The Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Bill, 2025, aims to harmonize tax administration across federal, state, and local governments, reducing duplication and improving efficiency. It also establishes the Tax Appeal Tribunal and the Office of the Tax Ombud to address taxpayer grievances and disputes.
With the passage of these bills, the Senate has completed a significant step in modernizing Nigeria’s tax system, aiming to enhance transparency, accountability, and revenue generation for national development.