Constitutional amendment: FIRS loses bid to include VAT on exclusive list as NASS rejects bill

By our reporter| The national assembly on Tuesday rejected a bill seeking to include value-added tax (VAT) in the exclusive list.

The bill to “Alter Part I of the Second Schedule to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to include Value Added Tax on the Exclusive Legislative List; and for Related Matters” failed to pass after both chambers voted against it.

At the house of representatives, while 91 lawmakers voted in favour of the bill, 200 voted against.

The Senate also rejected the with 44 senators voting against it while 41 voted in support.

The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) last year lobbied the national assembly to include VAT collection in the exclusive legislative list.

The move followed a legal tussle between Rivers state government and the agency over collecting VAT and personal income tax (PIT) in the state which is currently pending at the country’s apex court.