by George Ozalla
The lingering disagreement over Nigeria’s newly enacted tax laws eased on Monday after top executives from global professional services firm KPMG held discussions with Dr Zacch Adedeji, Executive Chairman of the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS), at the agency’s headquarters in Abuja. The engagement came weeks after KPMG’s widely publicised critique of the reforms, in which the firm highlighted what it described as errors, inconsistencies and gaps in the new tax framework that took effect on January 1. During the meeting, the NRS provided clarification on key provisions of the tax legislation and addressed areas of concern that had fuelled debate among professional and business circles. According to a statement by the NRS, the KPMG delegation said its earlier position on the laws had been misconstrued and expressed regret for any misunderstanding, adding that its apprehensions had been significantly eased and that the reforms were both necessary and timely. Both sides agreed that differing interpretations had contributed to confusion among taxpayers and underscored the need for ongoing dialogue to resolve emerging issues. The KPMG team also commended Dr Adedeji’s leadership and pledged continued professional engagement in support of effective tax administration and national economic growth, signalling a shift from public disagreement to constructive collaboration on Nigeria’s evolving fiscal policy.
