The Federal Government has appointed Dr. John Nwabueze as the nation’s first Tax Ombudsman, marking a key milestone in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s fiscal and institutional reforms.
The appointment, announced on Tuesday, is in line with the Joint Revenue Board of Nigeria (Establishment) Act, 2025. It forms part of the administration’s broader agenda to enhance accountability, fairness, and confidence in the country’s tax and revenue system.
Dr. Nwabueze, a renowned tax expert and public policy adviser from Oshimili South Local Government Area, Delta State, brings extensive experience from both the public and private sectors.
Until his appointment, he served as Managing Partner of a leading tax advisory firm and previously worked as Technical Adviser to the Joint Senate Committees on the Federal Capital Territory and Finance, as well as Technical Adviser to the Chief Economic Adviser to former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
His academic credentials include a Doctor of Business Administration (Finance) from Walden University, Minneapolis, a Master’s degree in Accounting from Strayer University, Washington, D.C., and dual Bachelor’s degrees in Accounting and Mathematics from the University of Jos.
President Tinubu congratulated Dr. Nwabueze, expressing confidence in his ability to execute the role with integrity, diligence, and professionalism.
The Office of the Tax Ombudsman, newly established under the Act, is designed to provide an independent channel for taxpayers to resolve disputes with tax and revenue authorities. It will handle complaints related to taxes, levies, customs duties, excise, regulatory fees, and other fiscal matters.
According to the Presidency, the office will offer a structured mechanism for fair and impartial dispute resolution, ensuring redress against arbitrary or abusive conduct by tax officials and improving efficiency in managing disputes.
The creation of the Tax Ombudsman is viewed as a major step toward strengthening taxpayer confidence, improving Nigeria’s tax culture, and supporting the administration’s push to expand revenue collection without imposing undue burden on citizens or businesses.
