TaxOmbud Targets Voluntary Compliance, Low Litigation Burden On Taxpayers

Nigeria’s newly established Office of the Tax Ombud has declared a firm resolve to reduce the litigation burden on taxpayers and drive voluntary compliance across the country. The move signals a major shift in how tax disputes between citizens, businesses, and revenue authorities will be handled under the nation’s reformed tax administration framework.

The TaxOmbud and chief executive of the office, Dr John Nwabueze, made the declaration on Tuesday at a meeting with financial correspondents in Abuja. He underscored the office’s mandate to function as a trusted intermediary between taxpayers and the country’s revenue agencies.

“Our mandate is clear: to serve as a trusted bridge between taxpayers and revenue authorities through mediation, conciliation, stakeholder engagement, and alternative dispute resolution mechanisms that reduce prolonged litigation and enhance institutional efficiency,” he stated.

Dr Nwabueze described the office as an independent mechanism for protecting taxpayers’ rights and building public confidence in Nigeria’s tax system, operating through accessible, timely, and cost-effective dispute resolution channels.

He noted that the office was a product of the broader tax reform initiative championed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and driven by Finance Minister Taiwo Oyedele.

The TaxOmbud disclosed that the office had recently activated its digital infrastructure, unveiling a website and launching a call centre alongside a case management portal.

The platforms allow individuals, businesses, and other stakeholders to access taxpayer information, submit complaints online or by telephone, and track the progress of their cases in real time—significantly lowering the barrier to formal dispute engagement.

The development is seen as a critical step in addressing long-standing concerns about the inaccessibility and complexity of Nigeria’s formal tax grievance processes, which have historically discouraged many taxpayers from challenging arbitrary assessments or administrative irregularities.

Beyond dispute resolution, Dr. Nwabueze framed the office’s broader ambition as a vehicle for expanding Nigeria’s tax culture. He said the office exists to “encourage citizens to understand the tax system, pay their taxes, and contribute to the development of their country.”

He called or financial correspondents to deploy their professional platforms to educate the taxpaying public on how to file complaints and engage with the new office, stressing that media partnership was indispensable to the success of the ongoing tax administration reforms.

The TaxOmbud noted that modern tax systems globally are increasingly anchored in fairness, accessibility, and public trust—not merely in revenue generation efficiency.

He said the establishment of the office aligns Nigeria with international best practices in taxpayer protection and institutional accountability.

The Office of the Tax Ombud was created under Nigeria’s new tax administration framework, which forms part of a sweeping fiscal reform agenda that has also produced the Tax Reform Bills currently before the National Assembly. Finance Minister Oyedele has described the reform as the most comprehensive overhaul of Nigeria’s tax system in decades.