The Nigerian House of Representatives has called for the prompt issuance of Tax Clearance Certificates (TCC) to employees across both the public and private sectors.
This decision follows a motion by Adebayo Balogun, who highlighted that millions of Nigerians who fulfil their tax obligations through the Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE) system still face significant delays.
Currently, the lack of a defined timeline has created bureaucratic bottlenecks, forcing some workers to resort to irregular methods or extra payments to obtain the document for urgent needs like visa processing, school admissions, or political candidatures.
In response, the House has urged state internal revenue services nationwide to ensure that these certificates are issued no later than three months after the end of the tax year.
Lawmakers emphasised that under the Personal Income Tax Act, authorities are legally mandated to provide a TCC once it is confirmed that a taxpayer’s liabilities have been settled.

The current delays are seen as a major administrative inefficiency that undermines public confidence in the national tax system.
To address the root of the problem, the House Committee on Finance has been mandated to work with the Joint Tax Board and various revenue services to create a harmonised national framework.
This collaborative effort aims to streamline the issuance process and eliminate the hurdles faced by diligent taxpayers.
The committee is expected to report back within four weeks to outline further legislative actions to ensure a more transparent and efficient tax administration.
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