The Office of the Tax Ombud (OTO) has intensified efforts to address multiple taxation and other challenges affecting public confidence in Nigeria’s tax administration.
The Tax Ombud and Chief Executive Officer of the office, Dr John Nwabueze, disclosed this during the third-quarter Breakfast Meeting with journalists held in Lagos on Thursday.
Nwabueze said the office had strengthened its mediation and complaint-resolution processes to ensure taxpayers receive prompt and effective redress when they have grievances against revenue authorities.
According to him, the OTO received more than 20 legitimate complaints in the past three months, with a significant number of them concerning state revenue agencies. He added that eight cases had already been resolved within the statutory 14-day period, while an additional seven days could be granted where circumstances require more time.
He explained that the office had also expanded its professional capacity by strengthening its team of accountants and legal practitioners to deal with complicated tax disputes, including potential cases linked to the taxation of digital assets.
“We have expanded the capacity of our skilled accountants and legal experts to handle complex tax matters, including disputes relating to digital asset taxation, should such cases arise,” he said.
Nwabueze further disclosed that the OTO had introduced several digital platforms aimed at making its services more accessible. These include an online complaints portal, a case management system, a toll-free call centre and an SMS callback service.
He said the platforms would allow taxpayers, including individuals and businesses, to submit complaints more easily and monitor the progress of their cases.
The Tax Ombud also revealed that the office was planning to establish physical offices across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones. He said the move would bring its services closer to taxpayers, particularly those in rural and underserved communities.
On the persistent issue of multiple taxation, Nwabueze described it as a widespread problem that would require coordinated action among the Federal Government, state governments and local government authorities.
He said the OTO was engaging relevant stakeholders, including the Joint Revenue Board, state governments and local councils, to develop lasting solutions to the problem.
“Through collaboration and policy engagement, we are working towards sustainable solutions,” he said.
He added that the office had stepped up consultations with professional organisations, the media, revenue agencies and other stakeholders to promote fairness and accountability within the tax system.
Nwabueze also announced plans to launch a nationwide public awareness campaign to educate Nigerians about their tax rights and the channels available to them when seeking redress.
He commended President Bola Tinubu for establishing an independent Tax Ombud institution, noting that the initiative could improve voluntary compliance and strengthen citizens’ confidence in the country’s tax administration.
However, he identified inadequate public awareness as one of the major challenges confronting the office and appealed to the media to help educate Nigerians about its role and services.
“Public awareness remains our greatest challenge. We urge the media and all stakeholders to help disseminate information about our services so that every Nigerian taxpayer is aware of their rights and knows where to seek redress whenever necessary,” he said.
Nwabueze reiterated that the OTO’s primary responsibility was to provide impartial mediation while promoting fairness, accountability and justice in the relationship between taxpayers and revenue authorities.