President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has declined to sign two recently passed bills from the National Assembly, citing fiscal inconsistencies, conflicts with existing laws, and provisions that could weaken government accountability and economic discipline.
In two separate letters read by Senate President Godswill Akpabio during Tuesday’s plenary, Tinubu explained that his decision affected the Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology (Establishment) Bill, 2025, and the National Library Trust Fund (Establishment, etc.) Amendment Bill, 2025.
According to the President, both bills contained clauses that, if enacted, could “compromise transparency, fiscal stability, and good governance.”
Tinubu objected to sections of the Transport Technology Bill that introduced unauthorized levies, uncontrolled borrowing, and discretionary investment of public funds, all without adequate executive oversight.
He specifically highlighted Section 18(4a), which proposed a 1% levy on all imports and exports to fund the institute, calling it an unauthorized tax that could overburden businesses and bypass the national budgetary process.
The President also flagged Section 20, which permitted the institute to borrow up to ₦50 million without presidential approval, warning that such a clause could be exploited through repeated borrowing below the threshold to evade oversight.
In addition, he described Sections 21 and 23, which empowered the institute to invest government-appropriated funds, as “fiscally dangerous” since the agency is not a revenue-generating body.
“These provisions, if allowed, would not only undermine fiscal discipline but also create opportunities for financial abuse. For these reasons, I withhold my assent to the bill,” Tinubu stated.
In a separate letter concerning the National Library Trust Fund Amendment Bill, Tinubu commended the bill’s intent but noted that several provisions conflicted with existing federal laws and policies, particularly in areas relating to agency funding, taxation, staff remuneration, and tenure limits.
He warned that enacting the bill in its current form could create unsustainable precedents and violate established public sector standards.
“For these reasons, I cannot grant presidential assent to the bill in its present form. I urge the Senate to revisit and address the identified issues,” the letter read
Following the reading of the letters, Senate President Godswill Akpabio praised President Tinubu’s “meticulous review” of legislative documents and directed relevant committees to rework the affected bills.
“This demonstrates the seriousness with which Mr. President is reviewing every legislation we pass. It is now our responsibility to carefully address the issues he has raised,” Akpabio said.
The Senate has referred the Transport Technology Bill to the Committee of the Whole for further deliberation, while the Library Trust Fund Amendment Bill was sent to the Committees on Special Duties and Establishment and Public Service Matters for review.
