From Victor Osula, Abuja
The National Economic Council (NEC), chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima, has asked President Bola Tinubu to withdraw the Tax Reform Bills presently before the National Assembly to allow for wider consultations.
Oyo Governor, Seyi Makinde, disclosed this to State House correspondents after the end of the meeting of the Council presided over by Vice President Shettima on Thursday in Abuja.
President Bola Tinubu, on October 13, asked the national assembly to consider and pass four tax reform bills – “Nigeria tax bill, tax Administration bill, and Joint Revenue Board establishment bill”.
Meeting in Kaduna on Monday, the Northern Governors Forum (NGF) frowned at the proposed amendment to the distribution of Value Added Tax (VAT) to a Derivation-based Model, saying the bill is antithetical to the interests of the North and other sub-nationals. They called on members of the National Assembly to oppose the bill that can jeopardise the well-being of their people.
Makinde said Council members agreed that it was necessary to allow for consensus building and understanding of the bill among Nigerians.
“NEC noted the need for sufficient alignment on the proposed reforms and recommended the withdrawal of the tax reform bill. We saw the gap and decided that there is a need for a wider consultation”, he added.
Earlier, The Presidency said the proposed Tax Reform Bills will benefit all states and not against the interest of the North.
Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said contrary to fears and perceived marginalisation of the North, the tax reform bills will benefit all states and harmonise the country’s tax laws for greater efficiency.
Highlighting the benefits of the bills, Onanuga said, “These reforms emerged after an extensive review of existing tax laws. The National Assembly is considering four executive bills designed to transform and modernise Nigeria’s tax landscape.
“First is the Nigeria Tax Bill, which aims to eliminate unintended multiple taxation and make Nigeria’s economy more competitive by simplifying tax obligations for businesses and individuals nationwide.
“Second, the Nigeria Tax Administration Bill (NTAB) proposes new rules governing the administration of all taxes in the country. Its objective is to harmonise tax administrative processes across federal, state and local jurisdictions for ease of compliance for taxpayers in all parts of the country.
“Third, the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill seeks to rename the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) as the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) to better reflect the mandate of the Service as the revenue agency for the entire federation, not just the Federal Government.
“Fourth, the Joint Revenue Board Establishment Bill proposes the creation of a Joint Revenue Board to replace the Joint Tax Board, covering federal and all states’ tax authorities.
“The fourth bill also suggests establishing the Office of Tax Ombudsman under the Joint Revenue Board, which would serve as a complaint resolution body for taxpayers.
“It is instructive to note that these proposed laws will not increase the number of taxes currently in operation. Instead, they are designed to optimise and simplify existing tax frameworks.
“The tax rates or percentages will remain the same under these reforms, as they focus on ensuring a more equitable distribution of tax obligations without adding to the burden on Nigerians.
“The reforms will not lead to job losses. On the contrary, they are structured to stimulate new avenues for job creation by supporting a dynamic, growth-oriented economy.
“Importantly, these laws will not absorb or eliminate the duties of any existing department, agency, or ministry. Instead, they aim to harmonise revenue collection and administration across the federation to ensure efficiency and cooperation.
“At the moment, tax administration lacks coordination among federal, state, and local tax authorities, often resulting in overlapping responsibilities, confusion, and inefficiency. Without reform, this inefficiency will persist.
“The proposed laws aim to coordinate efforts between different tiers of government, resulting in better tax resource management and greater clarity for taxpayers.
“Under existing laws, taxes like Company Income Tax (CIT), Personal Income Tax (PIT), Capital Gains Tax (CGT), Petroleum Profits Tax (PPT), Tertiary Education Tax (TET), Value-Added Tax (VAT), and other taxing provisions in numerous laws are administered separately, with individual legislative frameworks.
“The proposed reforms seek to consolidate these multiple taxes, integrating CIT, PIT, CGT, VAT, PPT, and excise duties into a unified structure to reduce administrative fragmentation.
“On the proposed derivation-based VAT distribution model, which the Northern Governors oppose, it must be stressed that the new proposal, as enunciated in the Bill, is designed to create a fairer system.
“The current model for distributing VAT is based on where the tax is remitted rather than where goods and services are supplied or consumed. The ongoing tax reform seeks to correct the inherent inequity in the current derivation model as a basis for distributing VAT revenue.
“The new proposal before the National Assembly outlines a different form of derivation which considers the place of supply or consumption for relevant goods and services. This means that states in the Northern region that produce the food we eat should not lose out just because their products are VAT-exempt or consumed in other states.
“These reforms are critical to improving the lives of Nigerians and were not put forward by President Tinubu to undermine any part of the country.
There is no better time than now for the National Assembly to give due consideration to these bills that will overhaul our tax systems and create the revenue all the tiers of government require to fund the development our country and people urgently need.”