The House of Representatives has launched a probe into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and France’s tax authority, Direction Générale des Finances Publiques, over concerns bordering on national sovereignty, economic security and exposure of Nigeria’s fiscal data.
Chairman of the House Committee on Treaties, Protocols and Agreements, Rabiu Yusuf, said the committee has invited FIRS Chairman, Dr Zacch Adedeji, to clarify the agreement, which covers digital transformation and information exchange.
He warned that any pact found to undermine Nigeria’s interests would be suspended, stressing that agreements threatening security or economic stability would not be allowed to stand.
Raising a Point of Privilege, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmaker from Sokoto, Abdulsammad Dasuki, alleged discrepancies between the tax laws passed by the National Assembly and the versions gazetted for public use.
He said a review of the gazetted copies alongside the Votes and Proceedings showed contents that differed from what lawmakers debated and approved, describing it as a serious breach of legislative process and the Constitution.
Dasuki urged Speaker Tajudeen Abbas to direct that all relevant documents — including harmonised bills, Votes and Proceedings, and gazetted copies — be presented before the Committee of the Whole for full scrutiny by members.
Meanwhile, the Ekiti State Internal Revenue Service (EKIRS) dismissed claims that Nigerians without a Tax Identification Number (TIN) would face penalties or frozen bank accounts under the new tax reform beginning January 1, 2026.
EKIRS Chairman, Olaniran Olatona, said the reform, under the administration of President Bola Tinubu, will not allow arbitrary deductions from personal accounts, adding that it aims to broaden the tax base, protect low-income earners, reduce multiple taxes and ease the cost of living.