By Benson Daniel
The Office of the Tax Ombud has intensified efforts to improve taxpayer protection and resolve disputes within Nigeria’s tax system, with plans to expand public awareness campaigns across the country.
The Tax Ombud, Dr. John Nwabueze, said the office would embark on a nationwide awareness campaign aimed at educating Nigerians about their tax obligations, taxpayer rights and the channels available for resolving complaints against tax and revenue authorities.
Nwabueze disclosed this during a media engagement with finance correspondents, where he explained that limited public awareness remained one of the major challenges affecting the effectiveness of tax reforms in the country.
He said the campaign would place particular emphasis on rural communities, where many taxpayers may not have sufficient information about their rights or how to seek redress when disputes arise with revenue authorities.
The Office of the Tax Ombud was established as an independent mechanism for addressing complaints relating to tax administration. Its responsibilities include reviewing grievances, mediating disputes and making recommendations aimed at promoting fairness, transparency and accountability.
Nwabueze said the office was committed to ensuring that taxpayers could obtain assistance without having to resort immediately to lengthy and expensive legal proceedings.
He explained that the Tax Ombud’s mandate includes mediation, conciliation, stakeholder engagement and alternative dispute resolution, approaches that can help reduce prolonged litigation and improve efficiency within the tax administration system.
The office has also introduced digital platforms designed to make its services more accessible to individuals and businesses. These include an official website, a toll free call centre and a case management system through which taxpayers can submit complaints and monitor their cases.
The Tax Ombud has also introduced a callback arrangement for people who may not have sufficient airtime to make telephone calls. Taxpayers can send an SMS or missed call, after which officials can contact them.
The initiative is expected to improve access to the dispute resolution mechanism, particularly for people in communities where access to formal legal services and government offices may be limited.
Nwabueze also raised concerns about arbitrary and multiple taxation, which has continued to affect individuals and businesses across different parts of the country.
He said ongoing reforms by the Joint Revenue Board were expected to improve coordination among tax authorities and address problems associated with overlapping taxes and levies.
The Tax Ombud’s intervention comes as Nigeria continues to implement broad reforms aimed at improving tax administration, increasing compliance and strengthening domestic revenue mobilisation.
For businesses, effective dispute resolution could help reduce uncertainty arising from disagreements with tax authorities and provide a more predictable operating environment.
For individual taxpayers, greater awareness of their rights could also improve confidence in the tax system and encourage voluntary compliance.
The office has maintained that its role is not to collect taxes but to provide an impartial platform where complaints involving tax and revenue authorities can be reviewed and resolved fairly.
The expansion of public awareness efforts is therefore expected to play an important role in strengthening the relationship between taxpayers and government agencies.
As the campaign expands across the country, the Tax Ombud is expected to work with the media and other stakeholders to ensure that Nigerians understand both their tax responsibilities and the protections available to them when disputes occur.
The initiative forms part of broader efforts to build greater trust, transparency and accountability in Nigeria’s tax administration system while encouraging citizens to participate more actively in the country’s fiscal development.
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