The Office of the Tax Ombudsman has called for stronger collaboration among revenue-generating agencies and other stakeholders to improve taxpayer confidence and strengthen Nigeria’s domestic revenue system.
The call was made at a stakeholders’ engagement organised by the Office of the Tax Ombudsman in Abuja, with the theme, “Promoting Fairness, Transparency and Trust in Tax/Revenue Administration in Nigeria.”
Speaking at the event, the Tax Ombudsman, Dr. John Nwabueze, said the office was established to bridge an important gap in Nigeria’s revenue administration by providing taxpayers with an avenue to seek redress over administrative challenges.
He explained that the office is empowered to receive, investigate and resolve complaints relating to taxes, levies, regulatory fees, charges, customs duties and excise matters.
“The history of this office is therefore the history of a gradual humanisation of tax administration,” the Ombudsman said, stressing that the power to collect revenue must be matched by “a strong commitment to fairness, accountability and access to redress.”
He disclosed that the office has already launched its website, contact centre and case management portal, enabling taxpayers to submit complaints, obtain information and track the progress of their cases.
The Ombudsman also revealed that regional offices would soon be established to bring the services closer to taxpayers outside the Federal Capital Territory.
Another major initiative, he said, is the planned launch of the Taxpayers’ Bill of Rights and Obligations, which will provide clearer information on taxpayers’ rights, responsibilities and the standards they should expect from revenue authorities.
“An institution can only protect rights effectively when citizens understand those rights and know where and how to seek them,” he said.
Representing the Registrar-General of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), the Director of Finance, Emmanuel Inyang, highlighted the importance of corporate data and beneficial ownership information in strengthening Nigeria’s revenue architecture.
He said the Commission’s corporate registry provides information that can support economic planning, regulation, taxation and law enforcement.
“A reliable corporate registry integrated appropriately with other government information systems can contribute significantly to improved taxpayer identification, data verification and compliance monitoring,” he stated.
Also speaking, the representative of the FCT Internal Revenue Service emphasised the importance of taxpayer-centred administration, saying trust is essential to voluntary compliance.
He said the agency remained committed to “co-operational, transparent and taxpayer-centred administration,” while expressing readiness to work with the Tax Ombudsman and other stakeholders.
The Director-General, Voice of Nigeria, Mallam Jibril Baba Ndace, commended the Tax Ombudsman for convening the stakeholders’ meeting, stressing that a fair and transparent tax system was critical to building public confidence, encouraging voluntary compliance and supporting sustainable national development.
“A fair and transparent tax system is essential to building public confidence, strengthening voluntary compliance and supporting sustainable national development,” he said.
The engagement provided a platform for revenue agencies, regulators and other stakeholders to examine practical ways of improving administrative fairness, strengthening complaint-resolution mechanisms and rebuilding public confidence in Nigeria’s tax system.
