By Jacob Ajom

Concerns over transparency and legal certainty have emerged following claims that multiple versions of the Nigeria Tax Administration Act are publicly hosted on official government platforms.

A Lagos State governorship aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Funso Doherty, disclosed that he discovered two different gazetted versions of the Act on the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) website, despite official assurances that the law had not been altered after its passage by the National Assembly.

In an open letter addressed to the Chairman of the NRS, Zacch Adedeji, Doherty said the documents were downloaded on January 6, 2026, from separate links on the agency’s website. According to him, the versions contain materially different provisions, creating uncertainty over which version of the law is currently being enforced.

“One of the versions differs significantly from the text transmitted by the National Assembly,” Doherty wrote, describing the situation as troubling for the rule of law and public confidence in the legislative process.

Doherty, a public and financial analyst, said his concerns were heightened following a recent television interview in which the NRS chairman dismissed claims of controversy surrounding the Act and insisted that the agency was implementing the law exactly as approved by lawmakers.

He further noted that similar discrepancies appear on the website of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal and Tax Reforms, where two versions of the same Act are also reportedly available for download.

The letter was copied to the Attorney-General of the Federation, the Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal and Tax Reforms, and the Attorney-General of Lagos State.

The issue comes amid ongoing public debate over Nigeria’s recently passed tax reform laws, which form a key part of the Federal Government’s fiscal restructuring agenda. Stakeholders across the private sector and civil society have raised concerns about the integrity of the post-legislative process, alleging possible amendments after parliamentary approval.

Government officials involved in the reforms have consistently denied any post-passage alterations. As of the time of filing this report, the Nigeria Revenue Service had yet to issue a formal response to the concerns raised.