By Kolawole Ojebisi
Two of President Bola Tinubu’s four reform bills were passed by the Senate on Wednesday.
The two bills passed are the Nigeria Revenue Service Establishment Bill and the Joint Revenue Board Establishment Bill.
The red chamber made the resolution after its assessment by an ad hoc committee chaired by the Senator representig Niger East at the upper legislative Chambers, Sani Musa.
The committee was constituted to address controversies and disputes surrounding the proposed reforms.
At the Wednesday’s plenary session, the bills under consideration were examined clause by clause and thoroughly debated at the Committee of the Whole
The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the passage of the bills after a majority of the senators supported them through voice vote.
He commended the lawmakers for their dedication to national development and economic growth of the country.
Akpabio expressed optimism that the reform bills would not only enhance governance but also revolutionise tax collection and distribution across the country.
“These bills will add immense value to governance and transform how taxes are collected and shared in Nigeria,” he said.
He further assured that the remaining two bills would be finalised tomorrow (Thursday), even if it required extended sitting hours.
“We are committed to concluding the outstanding bills tomorrow, even if we have to stay here until 10 p.m.,” Akpabio said.
Meanwhile, the red chamber rejected a proposal seeking to increase the Value-Added Tax to 10 percent, opting to retain the current rate at 7.5 percent.
The senate will continue its legislative business tomorrow (Thursday) by deliberating on the two remaining bills: the Nigeria tax administration bill and the Nigeria tax bill.
Recall that Tinubu transmitted the four bills to the National assembly in October 2024.
The four bills have already been passed by the House of Representatives despite the initial objection to them by some Nigerians, particularly those of Northern extraction.
