President Bola Tinubu has withheld his assent to two bills recently passed by the National Assembly, citing major concerns over their fiscal implications, legal inconsistencies, and potential conflicts with federal policies.
The bills in question are the Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology (NITT) Repeal and Reenactment Bill and the National Library Trust Fund Establishment (Amendment) Bill, 2025.
The President’s decision was announced during plenary on Tuesday when the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, read separate correspondences from President Tinubu explaining his decision to reject the proposed laws.
According to the President, several provisions in the bills are flawed and pose risks to financial discipline and good governance.
The Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology Bill, which seeks to restructure the operations and funding mechanisms of the institute, was rejected due to several concerns.
One of the key issues raised by the President is a clause that allows the institute to collect one per cent of all import and export freight charges.
President Tinubu described this levy as “onerous and unfair to businesses” and inconsistent with the Federal Government’s current tax policy framework.
Additionally, the bill empowers the institute to borrow up to N50 million without presidential approval, a provision that the President warned could be exploited to bypass executive oversight, leading to potential financial abuse.
Furthermore, the bill authorises the institute to invest its funds, which the President believes is inappropriate for a non-revenue-generating agency funded through federal allocations.
In a separate letter, President Tinubu also declined assent to the National Library Trust Fund Establishment (Amendment) Bill, 2025, citing contradictions with existing laws and government policies.
The proposed amendments are inconsistent with national policies on funding public institutions, taxation of national entities, public service remuneration, and age and tenure limits for public servants.
The President warned that enacting the bill in its current form would create an unsustainable precedent and may not serve the public interest.
The President urged the National Assembly to revisit and revise the problematic provisions in both bills to ensure alignment with existing laws and government priorities.
The Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, assured that the relevant committees would review the bills and address the identified concerns.
