By Abiodun Folarin
WorldStage– The Chief Executive and Tax Ombud, Office of the Tax Ombud (OTO), Dr John Nwabueze, has called for stronger collaboration among tax and revenue-generating agencies to promote fairness, transparency and trust in Nigeria’s tax administration.
Nwabueze made the call on Thursday in Abuja at a stakeholder engagement organised by the Office of the Tax Ombud with the theme, “Promoting Fairness, Transparency and Trust in Tax Administration in Nigeria.”
He said the engagement was not merely about taxation and revenue generation, but about strengthening the relationship between taxpayers and institutions responsible for administering public revenue.
According to him, the establishment of the Office of the Tax Ombud represents an important evolution in Nigeria’s tax administration, shifting emphasis from taxation as an exercise of governmental authority to a system that also prioritises taxpayer rights, accountability and access to redress.
He noted that the Office was established under Part VI of the Joint Revenue Board of Nigeria (Establishment) Act, 2025, with the mandate to receive, investigate and resolve complaints relating to taxes, levies, regulatory fees and charges, customs duties and excise matters.
Nwabueze said Nigeria had joined a growing international movement towards specialised taxpayer advocacy, describing the establishment of the Tax Ombud as a significant milestone in the country’s ongoing tax reforms.
The Tax Ombud disclosed that the office had launched its website, interactive contact centre and case management portal to make it easier for taxpayers to submit complaints, access information, track cases and receive assistance.
He said the office had also commenced public sensitisation and stakeholder engagement programmes aimed at improving awareness of taxpayers’ rights and the procedures for seeking redress.
Nwabueze added that the OTO was progressively digitalising its internal operations and service delivery systems to improve efficiency, transparency and accountability.
He further disclosed that the office was working with state governments to establish zonal offices across the country, with at least three expected to commence operations within the next few weeks.
“This will bring the office closer to taxpayers, particularly those who may otherwise face difficulties accessing our services from outside the Federal Capital Territory,” he said.
The Tax Ombud also announced plans to publicly launch the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights and Obligations in the coming weeks.
According to him, the charter will provide taxpayers with clearer information on their rights, responsibilities and the standards of fairness, transparency and accountability expected from tax and revenue authorities.
He appealed to revenue-generating agencies to support the dissemination of the charter through their offices and digital platforms, saying greater awareness of taxpayer rights would encourage voluntary compliance, prevent disputes and build trust.
Nwabueze also proposed the designation of liaison officers by revenue-generating agencies to serve as institutional interfaces with the Office of the Tax Ombud.
He said the officers would facilitate timely communication and referral of taxpayer complaints, early resolution of disputes, information sharing, identification of recurring administrative challenges and follow-up on recommendations arising from OTO interventions.
He stressed that stronger institutional coordination would enable complaints to be resolved faster while helping government identify and address systemic problems in tax administration.
In a goodwill message, the Registrar-General/Chief Executive Officer of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Mr Husaini Magaji, represented by the Commission’s Director of Finance and Administration, Emmanuel Inyang, said effective collaboration among government agencies was critical to building a trusted revenue administration system.
He said transparency, responsible administration of revenue and accessible channels for addressing taxpayer concerns would encourage voluntary compliance and reduce the cost of enforcement.
He explained that the integrity of business registration and the corporate registry system was an important component of effective revenue administration.
He described the CAC as a critical gateway into the formal economy through the registration and regulation of companies, limited liability partnerships, limited partnerships, business names and incorporated trustees.
According to him, reliable corporate and business information provided by the CAC supports economic planning, regulation and law enforcement.
He said the Commission’s ongoing reforms were focused not only on making business registration easier and faster, but also on improving the quality, integrity and reliability of information maintained in the corporate registry.
He highlighted the Commission’s work on beneficial ownership transparency, saying accurate information on individuals who ultimately own or control legal entities could assist regulatory and supervisory authorities and help prevent the misuse of companies for illicit purposes.
“A reliable corporate registry integrated appropriately with other government information systems can contribute significantly to improved taxpayer identification, data verification, compliance monitoring and the reduction of opportunities for tax evasion and other financial crimes,” he said.
The CAC boss called for sustained collaboration among revenue and regulatory agencies, including the Nigerian Revenue Service, state internal revenue services and other relevant institutions.
He, however, stressed that such collaboration must be guided by clearly defined mandates, appropriate legal frameworks, data protection safeguards and responsible information-sharing mechanisms.
He said the increasing digitalisation of government services offered opportunities to improve interoperability, reduce duplication, simplify compliance and strengthen interactions between citizens, businesses and government institutions.
Also speaking, the Director of Financial Services at the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), James Kalu, who represented the Executive Vice Chairman of the Commission, Aminu Maida, said a tax system that citizens and businesses trust was essential to improving compliance, revenue mobilisation and the investment climate.
Kalu commended the Office of the Tax Ombud for convening the stakeholder engagement, describing dialogue, collaboration and accountability as critical to strengthening Nigeria’s tax and revenue ecosystem.
He said institutions must be responsive and transparent while upholding the rights and interests of taxpayers.
Drawing from the telecommunications sector, he said transparency, stakeholder engagement, technology and effective dispute-resolution mechanisms had demonstrated their importance in building public confidence.
He urged tax and revenue institutions to embrace innovation, strengthen accountability, simplify processes and maintain open channels of engagement with taxpayers.
“The Nigerian Communications Commission remains committed to supporting initiatives that promote consumer protection and institutional transparency,” he said.
Kalu stressed that collaboration among regulators, revenue authorities, businesses and citizens was necessary to create an environment where compliance was encouraged through confidence and trust rather than enforcement alone.
He expressed optimism that the deliberations would generate practical recommendations for strengthening Nigeria’s tax administration framework.
