By Bassey Udo
The Chief Executive, Tax Ombud, Dr. John Nwabueze, has reassured his commitment to collaborate with the tax and revenue authorities at the national and subnational levels to achieve i
improved operational efficiency.
Dr. Nwabueze gave the assurance on Wednesday at the 159th meeting of the Joint Revenue Board in Lagos.
The JRB comprises the Revenue Boards of the 36 States of the Federation, including the Federal Capital Territory and all tax and revenue generating agencies in the country.
Dr Nwabueze spoke 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”.
He declared that the Office of the Tax Ombud represented one of the most significant institutional innovations in Nigeria established as an independent and impartial body to guard tax payer rights and promote administrative justice within the tax and revenue framework.
The Office, he explained, functions as a bridge between the taxpayer and revenue authorities, receiving and investigating complaints from taxpayers and facilitating resolution through mediation and conciliation.
These mechanisms, he explained, were faster, more cost-effective and less adversarial alternatives to litigation, adding that the Tax Ombud Office also plays a systemic role in identifying recurring issues in tax and revenue administration and recommending reforms to improve efficiency, fairness and transparency.
The Office, he said, builds public trust by serving as an independent neutral platform to resolve taxpayer grievances without the high cost of litigation.
The unique features of the tax Ombudsman Office include impartial mediation, watchdog role against arbitrary fiscal policies, tax payer rights education, accountability mechanism and systemic improvement.
However, he said the Office of the Tax Ombud “does not determine tax liability nor replace the courts or the Tax Appeal Tribunal, rather is focused on ensuring that tax administration was 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”, he said.
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.
“The OTO helps to ensure that compliance with the new tax laws is driven not by fear or coercion, but by trust and understanding,” he said.
He therefore sued for collaboration and partnership between OTO and tax authorities, noting that 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.
He urged all revenue generating agencies at the federal state and local governments to prioritize inclusion by integrating the OTO into national and subnational tax engagements and policy dialogues.