December 08, (THEWILL) – The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project has called on Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas to evaluate the human rights implications of the ongoing tax reform bills in the National Assembly.
The group emphasised the need to ensure the reforms do not disproportionately affect Nigerians living in poverty.
President Bola Tinubu had, on October 13, transmitted four tax reform bills to the National Assembly based on recommendations by the Presidential Committee on Fiscal and Tax Reforms, led by Taiwo Oyedele.
These bills seek to overhaul existing tax laws and align them with contemporary fiscal realities.
The bills have sparked nationwide debate, with northern governors and other stakeholders expressing reservations. The Senate announced plans to convene a special meeting to address contentious areas within the reforms.
In a letter dated December 7, 2024, and signed by Deputy Director Kolawole Oluwadare, SERAP urged lawmakers to ensure the reforms comply with the Nigerian Constitution and international human rights standards.
“The assessments should be transparent, include public participation, and shape the provisions that are ultimately passed,” the letter stated.
SERAP also called for the publication of the assessment results to foster accountability.
The group further urged Akpabio and Abbas to direct Attorney General of the Federation Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) to investigate the management of tax revenues by state governors since 2015, particularly cases of mismanagement or corruption involving trillions of naira.
The group flagged several provisions in the bills as potentially harmful to human rights, particularly those in the Tax Administration Billwhich grant extensive powers to tax authorities.
“For instance, section 28(2)(c) requires financial institutions to disclose customer information to tax authorities.
“Section 28(4) mandates additional disclosures upon request by tax authorities, raising privacy concerns.
“Section 57(1) allows tax officials unrestricted access to private properties, documents, and computers, which could lead to abuse.
“The absence of sufficient safeguards against misuse of personal data and lack of explicit provisions for judicial oversight makes these provisions vulnerable to abuse,” SERAP warned.
It also criticized Section 81, which limits court jurisdiction over pending tax matters, describing it as a violation of Nigerians’ rights to fair hearing and effective remedy.
The group noted that without accountability measures, tax revenues could be mismanaged or diverted, exacerbating poverty and limiting access to essential public services such as water, education, and healthcare.
SERAP called for a revision of the bills to include transparency and accountability mechanisms.
“Nigeria needs a tax system that works for the people, not politicians and their associates,” the letter stated.
The group warned that failure to align the bills with human rights standards would result in legal action to compel compliance in the public interest.
“Properly aligned tax reforms would enhance government capacity at all levels to meet human rights obligations and adequately fund critical public services,” it concluded.
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