BY CHINYERE OBIORA – Nigeria’s Tax Ombud and Chief Executive, Office of the Tax Ombud (OTO), Dr John Nwabueze, has pledged to partner with national and subnational revenue authorities to streamline their operations and boost efficiency in the financial sector.
According to him, the Office will always stay focus playing a systemic role in identifying recurring issues in tax and revenue administration while recommending reforms to improve efficiency, fairness and transparency within the system.
Dr. Nwabueze gave the assurance at the 159th meeting of the Joint Revenue Board (JRB) held on Wednesday in Lagos. The JRB acts as the centralized command for national tax administration, integrating the 36 state boards, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and all nationwide tax and revenue agencies to eliminate multiple taxation and streamline collection
Speaking on the topic, “The role of the Tax Ombud in facilitating dispute resolution and strengthening trust in the tax system in the context of emerging tax reforms”, Dr Nwabueze said the Tax Ombud Office represents one of the most significant institutional innovations in Nigeria.
He stated that the Office was established as an independent and impartial body to guard tax payer rights and promote administrative justice within the tax and revenue framework.
Against this backdrop, Dr Nwabuezue said the Office functions as a bridge between taxpayer and revenue authorities, receiving and investigating complaints from taxpayers and facilitating resolution through mediation and conciliation.
While stressing that these mechanisms were faster, more cost effective and less adversarial alternative to litigation, the Tax Ombud said the Office also builds public trust by serving as an independent neutral platform to resolve taxpayer grievances without the high cost of litigation.
He explained that the unique features include impartial mediation, watchdog role against arbitrary fiscal policies tax payer rights education; accountability mechanism and systemic improvement.
However, Dr Nwabueze said the Office of the Tax Ombud “does not determine tax liability nor does it replace the courts or the Tax Appeal Tribunal but rather focused on ensuring that tax administration is conducted in a fair transparent and accountable manner.
“The Office of the Tax Ombud (OTO) is a bold and progressive effort to harmonise revenue systems, expand the tax base and improve compliance”.
Noting that all reforms inevitably come with challenges, Dr. Nwabueze said the Office plays a critical role in smoothing friction points in the new tax regime, ensuring confidence, compliance and supporting revenue authorities in improving operational efficiency.
A statement from Chukwudi Achife, Chief Press Secretary, Office of the Tax Ombud further quoted him as saying: “The OTO helps to ensure that compliance with the new tax laws is driven not by fear or coercion, but by trust and understanding.”
In urging collaboration and partnership between OTO and tax authorities, Dr Nwabueze said Nigeria’s revenue administration depended on the seamless integration of all tax and revenue components with the OTO as a critical pillar in the ecosystem.
The Tax Ombud called on federal, state, and local revenue agencies to prioritize inclusion by integrating the OTO into their policy dialogues and tax engagements.
