From Adanna Nnamani, Abuja
The Office of the Tax Ombud (OTO) is set to partner with the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) to expand access to complaint-handling and resolution services for market traders and taxpayers in rural communities.
The Tax Ombud and Chief Executive, Dr. John Nwabueze, disclosed this at a town hall meeting recently, noting that the office was on the verge of formalising the collaboration to make it easier for underserved taxpayers to access its services.
Nwabueze said the initiative was part of efforts to promote fairness, transparency and accountability in Nigeria’s tax and revenue administration, while strengthening confidence between taxpayers and revenue authorities.
He explained that the Office of the Tax Ombud was established to provide an independent and impartial mechanism for resolving operational, procedural and administrative grievances arising from tax and revenue administration.
Nwabueze, however, clarified that the office was not established to cancel legitimate tax liabilities or shield taxpayers from their lawful obligations.
“Our services, which are offered free of charge, are designed to resolve disputes, mediate complaints, and promote a transparent, fair, and consistent tax administration system. “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.
He added that a fair and predictable tax system was essential for economic growth, investor confidence and improved compliance among small and medium-sized enterprises, market traders and the wider business community.
The Tax Ombud also pledged to work with stakeholders 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,” he said.
Nwabueze reiterated the organisation’s commitment to working with stakeholders to strengthen accountability, improve access to complaint-resolution services and protect taxpayers’ rights while upholding the lawful powers and responsibilities of revenue authorities.
Representatives of the Abuja Market, the National Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (NASME), the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN), the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), road transport unions and airline operators, among others, commended ongoing tax administration reforms.
They called for streamlined administrative processes, clear assessment criteria and effective channels for resolving disputes, noting that these were essential to improving taxpayer confidence and compliance.
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