On Thursday, the Senate approved the remaining two of President Bola Tinubu’s four proposed tax reform bills, completing a legislative process hailed as a significant stride toward revamping Nigeria’s tax system. The approval came after a thorough clause-by-clause review of the Nigeria Tax Administration Bill and the Nigeria Tax Bill during plenary, with contentious sections removed to build consensus. Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who presided over the session, praised the lawmakers for their dedication to modernising Nigeria’s tax structure. “These four executive bills are designed to reform and modernise Nigeria’s tax system,” Akpabio stated after the bills were passed by a majority voice vote. This legislative achievement came just a day after the Senate had passed the first two tax bills, postponing the remaining two for Thursday’s deliberation. The House of Representatives had earlier approved all four bills. Speaking to journalists after the session, Senator Sani Musa, Chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee on Tax Reform Bills, said the Senate was intentional about ensuring the reforms align with international standards. “What we did was to thoroughly review the tax bills and make the necessary adjustments. President Tinubu introduced these reforms to drive economic development. We held a public hearing and a retreat attended by 76 organisations, including religious leaders and key stakeholders,” he said. Senator Musa added that the Senate recommended the appointment of a chairman for the Nigerian Revenue Service and the creation of an ombudsman to arbitrate and resolve tax-related disputes. He also stressed the importance of establishing a tax tribunal. “It is not a court of record, but a necessary body for fair and swift resolution of tax matters. We also examined issues such as VAT, tax collection, development levies, and inheritance tax—which have been expunged,” he said. Musa assured that Nigerians will benefit from the reforms and praised the President for fostering an inclusive and transparent process. He further revealed that a harmonisation committee would soon be set up to reconcile any differences between the Senate and House versions of the bills. Parts of the revenue generated from the reformed tax structure, Musa added, will be channelled toward combating cybercrime, enhancing national defence infrastructure, supporting TETFund, and aiding military personnel in restoring peace across the country.