Nigeria has entered what officials are calling “a new era” in taxpayer-government relations with the establishment of the Office of the Tax Ombud, an independent body designed to protect citizens and businesses from unfair tax practices.
Taiwo Oyedele, Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, described the initiative as a fundamental shift in how revenue authorities interact with taxpayers and explained in detail the role of the Tax Ombud, personified by Dr John Nwabueze.
According to Oyedele, in a post on X on Wednesday, the Office of the Tax Ombud will operate as an independent statutory body with extensive authority to intervene in disputes between taxpayers and revenue authorities. Under the new law, the office is empowered to “receive, review, and resolve taxpayer complaints relating to taxes, levies, customs duties, excise matters, and regulatory fees,” according to Oyedele.
The body will also “investigate administrative or procedural unfairness in the conduct of tax authorities” and “ensure impartial and non-adversarial dispute resolution, protecting taxpayers from arbitrary or abusive practices.”
The initiative represents one component of Nigeria’s comprehensive tax reform agenda, which aims to modernise the country’s fiscal system while safeguarding citizens’ rights.
Oyedele emphasised the citizen-focused nature of the reforms, stating: “This is one of the citizen-centred measures under the new tax reform laws to protect taxpayer rights and ensure that Nigeria’s tax administration serves the public interest, supports enterprise, and upholds justice in all fiscal matters.”
The office will also work to “promote awareness of taxpayer rights and obligations through education, guidance, and transparency initiatives,” according to the chairman.
News.ng reports that the establishment of the Tax Ombud comes as Nigeria seeks to improve tax compliance while building greater trust between citizens and revenue collection agencies. The independent nature of the office is designed to provide taxpayers with recourse when they believe they have been treated unfairly by tax authorities.
