The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has urged Nigerians to resist what it described as distorted or falsified tax laws, emphasising the need for inclusiveness and fairness in shaping fiscal policies.
NLC President, Joe Ajaero, made the appeal in his 2025 Christmas message, warning that distortions and alleged forgery linked to some tax policies erode credibility and public confidence.
“Together, in this season and beyond, we must insist on Tax Justice where the rich pay their fair share and all forms of regressive taxation are removed,” he said in a Wednesday statement.
“Any tax system that is mired in apparent distortion and outright forgery is unacceptable and should therefore be rejected by all.”
Ajaero called for social and tax justice, stressing that citizens should enjoy access to quality healthcare, education and security, while workers’ rights and remuneration are upheld.
He noted that meaningful reform requires patience, transparency and widespread buy-in, rather than rushed legislation driven by political interests.
“It is better to patiently craft a law that is broadly crafted and owned than rush into one filled with serious errors and outright political manipulations,” he stated.
The NLC president also appealed for unity among Nigerians in demanding equitable governance, reiterating the congress’ resolve to mobilise workers against policies that deepen economic hardship.
His comments come amid concerns raised by a member of the House of Representatives, Abdulsamad Dasuki, over alleged discrepancies between tax laws passed by the National Assembly and the versions later gazetted and released to the public.
Dasuki argued that his legislative rights were violated, claiming that the gazetted tax laws did not reflect what lawmakers debated and approved on the floor of the House.
President Bola Tinubu signed four major tax reform bills into law on June 26, 2025.
The laws — the Nigeria Tax Act, the Nigeria Tax Administration Act, the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, and the Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Act — are collectively referred to as the Nigerian Tax Reform Acts.
They aim to modernise Nigeria’s tax framework, expand the tax base and improve efficiency, including replacing the Federal Inland Revenue Service with the Nigeria Revenue Service, which has wider oversight powers.
However, the reforms have attracted growing opposition amid claims that the gazetted versions differ significantly from those approved by lawmakers.
In response, the House of Representatives has constituted a committee to probe allegations of forgery, while civil society organisations and some state governors have also expressed concerns about possible economic strain and revenue-sharing implications.