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The Minister of State for Finance, Taiwo Oyedele, has stated that errors occurred in Nigeria’s newly introduced tax reform laws, according to a statement from the fiscal reforms committee.
Oyedele added that corrective steps are already being taken through a proposed finance bill.
He made these known during a fireside chat at the 2026 annual conference of the Nigerian Bar Association Section on Legal Practice, which was themed “From Policy to Practice: Making Sense of Nigeria’s New Tax Reforms,” according to the statement.
Oyedele said the “errors occurred due to manual processes and multiple stages of review” involved in drafting and finalising the laws.
His comments follow public concerns raised about the tax legislation.
On December 17, 2025, a member of the House of Representatives, Abdussamad Dasuki, was reported to have alleged that the versions of the tax laws available to the public differed from those passed by the National Assembly.
The House of Representatives was subsequently reported to have set up a seven-member panel to investigate the claim.
According to the fiscal reforms committee’s statement, Oyedele reassured stakeholders that corrective measures are already in motion.
“What we need is a more transparent and reliable legislative process where every version of a law is publicly available,” Oyedele was quoted as saying.
The minister also sought to address concerns about implementation, stating that the new tax regime is grounded in “clear policy intent, transparency, and fairness,” according to the statement.
He also urged stakeholders to look beyond the text of the laws to their broader purpose.
Oyedele reportedly highlighted past inconsistencies in Nigeria’s tax system, particularly the imbalance between personal and corporate taxes, which he said discouraged business formalisation.
He added that the reforms aim to promote consistency, reduce discretion in tax administration, and encourage businesses to formalise their operations.
Reflecting on investor confidence, Oyedele warns against policy unpredictability.
“If policies can change overnight, it sends the wrong signal to investors. Consistency is critical,” he said.
