Group drags FG to ECOWAS Court over alleged tax law alteration

2026-02-25 - 07:46

By Luminous Jannamike ABUJA — A civil society group, the Network for the Actualisation of Social Growth and Viable Development (NEFGAD), has taken the Federal Government to the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice over what it described as unlawful changes to Nigeria’s newly gazetted tax laws after they were passed by the National Assembly and signed by the President. In a statement by its lead counsel, Elvis Ejeta Esq, NEFGAD said the action, filed as ECW/CCJ/APP/10/26, followed its earlier letter to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the leadership of the National Assembly requesting an independent investigation and possible sanctions. According to the group, concerns intensified after the National Assembly’s interim review reportedly suggested that parts of the tax legislation may have been altered after approval, a development it said raises serious institutional and democratic questions. NEFGAD is asking the regional court to look into how the alleged changes occurred and to declare the versions published in the official gazette unauthorized and inconsistent with Nigeria’s obligations under the African Charter and ECOWAS protocols. The organisation also wants the gazetted Tax Administration Act, 2025 and related laws either set aside entirely or the disputed sections removed, with only the text originally passed by lawmakers and assented to by the President recognised as valid. It further urged the court to stop the government from enforcing the questioned provisions and to direct the publication of Certified True Copies of the four tax Acts as enacted so that the authentic versions are clear. NEFGAD is also seeking compensation for Nigerians who may have suffered losses due to enforcement of the allegedly altered provisions, including refunds of taxes or penalties collected under the disputed rules. “This action is not merely administrative or procedural. It is a constitutional issue that strikes at the heart of democratic order, separation of powers, and the rule of law. Where a law passed by the National Assembly and signed by the President is altered without lawful authority, it undermines confidence in governance and threatens investor certainty,” the civil society organisation said. The group reaffirmed its commitment to defending democratic institutions and promoting transparency, while calling on civil society, the judiciary, the legislature and the executive to support efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s democratic processes and protect the sanctity of lawmaking.