The Senate has established a committee tasked with reviewing key issues in the tax reform bills currently under consideration.
The committee will be responsible for addressing contentious points in the proposed legislation and providing a report to the full Senate prior to the public hearing.
Senator Abba Moro (PDP, Benue South), the Minority Leader, will lead the newly-formed committee.
This development was announced by Deputy Senate President Barau I. Jibrin (APC, Kano North) during the plenary session on Wednesday.
Presiding over the session, Barau highlighted existing concerns surrounding the tax bills and clarified that the committee’s mandate is to consult with various stakeholders, including the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and other relevant authorities in the executive branch.
On October 3, 2024, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu formally transmitted four tax reform bills to the National Assembly. The bills were introduced in separate plenaries by Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Tajuddeen Abbas. President Tinubu emphasized that the bills were designed to strengthen Nigeria’s fiscal institutions and were aligned with his administration’s broader development agenda for the country.
Despite these intentions, the bills have sparked significant opposition from various quarters. Governors, traditional rulers, civil society organizations, federal lawmakers, and other stakeholders have expressed concerns about the proposed reforms.
In addition to Senator Moro, Barau named several other senators to the committee, including Senators Titus Zam (APC, Benue North West), Orjir Uzor Kalu (Abia North), Sani Musa (APC, Niger East), and Abdullahi Yahaya (Kebbi North), among others.
Further developments on this matter are expected to unfold.
