Tax Ombud, NIPOST Near Deal To Take Grievance Redress To Grassroots

The Office of the Tax Ombud (OTO) is set to extend its complaint-handling and resolution services to market traders and taxpayers in rural communities through a proposed partnership with the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST).

The Tax Ombud/chief executive, Dr John Nwabueze, disclosed this on Friday in Abuja at a town hall meeting and stakeholders’ engagement forum on the theme “Promoting Fairness in Tax and Revenue Administration in Nigeria.”

The meeting was attended by representatives of professional bodies, market associations, the private sector, civil society organisations and the media.

Dr Nwabueze said the Office was at the verge of formalising the collaboration with NIPOST. He explained that the arrangement would make it easier for market traders and rural taxpayers to access its services.

He said the Office’s services were offered free of charge. According to him, they were designed to resolve disputes, mediate complaints and promote a transparent, fair and consistent tax administration system.

“Our focus is not only on the rights of taxpayers but also on their responsibilities and those of the relevant authorities,” he said.

The Tax Ombud described the Office as an independent, impartial and non-judicial institution. He said it was set up to address operational, procedural and administrative grievances arising from tax and revenue administration.

He noted that the Office was created under the Joint Revenue Board of Nigeria (Establishment) Act 2025. He said it was meant to protect taxpayers and strengthen accountability in tax administration.

Dr Nwabueze said the Office had made progress since its establishment. He listed a digital complaint management framework, stakeholder partnerships, taxpayer education initiatives and a dedicated call centre.

He said the Office’s priority was now to expand access, build its operational capacity and ensure that taxpayers knew where to turn when they faced administrative difficulties.

The Tax Ombud made it clear that the Office was not established to cancel legitimate tax liabilities simply because taxpayers were unwilling to pay.

“We do not make tax policy. We do not encourage non-compliance, shield taxpayers from their lawful obligations, or perform the functions of the courts. Our role is to facilitate the fair and impartial resolution of eligible complaints within our statutory mandate,” he said.

Dr Nwabueze said Nigeria’s tax reforms, which began in January 2026, were a significant step towards simplifying compliance, strengthening revenue mobilisation, supporting eligible small businesses and promoting transparency.

He, however, warned that the success of the reforms would depend not only on the quality of the laws but also on how fairly they were implemented.

“Fairness is not a favour to taxpayers; it is the foundation of public trust and sustainable revenue mobilisation,” he said.

He said taxpayers who were treated fairly, understood their obligations and had access to impartial redress were more likely to comply voluntarily. He added that arbitrary assessments, overlapping levies and inconsistent enforcement weaken confidence in the system.

He also said a fair and predictable tax system was essential for economic growth, investor confidence and better compliance among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), market traders and the wider business community.

The Tax Ombud outlined five pillars of fairness that he said should guide tax administration.

The first is equity and proportionality. He said tax obligations must be applied consistently and proportionately, and that exemptions and reliefs provided by law, particularly for eligible small businesses, must be properly communicated and respected.

The second is procedural justice, which means taxpayers must have a fair opportunity to present their concerns and have their complaints properly considered. The third is professionalism, courtesy and respect in dealing with taxpayers.

The fourth is transparency and accountability. Dr Nwabueze said accountability strengthens institutional credibility and does not weaken revenue mobilisation. The fifth is the protection of vulnerable taxpayers, including small businesses, individuals and people who face barriers to information or access.

He stressed that protecting vulnerable taxpayers does not exempt them from lawful obligations. He said it ensures that those obligations are administered fairly.

Dr Nwabueze said the Office was advancing a Taxpayer Charter to explain taxpayers’ rights and responsibilities in simple language. The charter will be available in English, Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba and Nigerian Pidgin.

He urged tax and revenue authorities to apply the law consistently, communicate clearly and treat taxpayers with dignity.

The Tax Ombud said the Office remained open to collaboration and feedback from stakeholders. He pledged to remain impartial in handling complaints and to address systemic challenges, including inadequate transparency and inefficient grievance-redress mechanisms.

“Our collective objective must be to move from disputes to solutions, from administrative friction to constructive engagement, and from distrust to confidence. We look forward to continued dialogue with stakeholders to build a fair, transparent, and taxpayer-friendly revenue system,” he said.

He commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for establishing the Office to give taxpayers an independent and impartial way to address grievances without fear. He also acknowledged the contributions of the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Taiwo Oyedele, and other stakeholders.

Representatives of the Abuja Market, the National Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (NASME), the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria and the National Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) commended the ongoing tax administration reforms. Road transport unions and airline operators also spoke in support.

They stressed the need for simpler administrative processes, clear assessment criteria and effective ways of resolving disputes. They said these were essential to improving taxpayer confidence and compliance.

The Office of the Tax Ombud reiterated its commitment to working with stakeholders to make its complaint-resolution services more accessible. It said it would continue to protect taxpayers’ rights while respecting the lawful powers and responsibilities of revenue authorities.