Nigerian Tax Ombud urges citizens to challenge unfair taxes

Nigerians and businesses facing unfair tax assessments or disputes with revenue agencies now have an independent avenue for redress through the newly established Office of the Tax Ombud. Dr. John Nwabueze, Nigeria's first Tax Ombud, urged aggrieved taxpayers to utilize this platform for relief.

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So you can say that the Office of the Tax Ombud is the first-to-go place for any aggrieved taxpayer.

"So you can say that the Office of the Tax Ombud is the first-to-go place for any aggrieved taxpayer," Nwabueze stated at a breakfast meeting with finance journalists in Abuja. The office aims to resolve complaints between taxpayers and revenue authorities through mediation, conciliation, and alternative dispute resolution, serving as an impartial institution.

Taxpayers who disagree with assessments, such as a N200 million charge when they believe it should be N100 million, can approach the Ombud's office for intervention. While not a court, the office provides an initial layer of dispute resolution. If parties remain dissatisfied after mediation, the case can still proceed to the Tax Appeal Tribunal.

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Say they give you the assessment, like N200m, for instance, and you feel it is not up to that. Maybe your claim is supposed to be like N100m. So you come to us. We will look at your case. We now intervene. We will talk to the authorities. And at some point, there might be some kind of assessment review. And if it turns out that that is the case, then that is resolved.

The Tax Ombud's mandate in Nigeria is broader than in some other countries, encompassing tax and revenue-related complaints involving agencies like the Nigeria Revenue Service, Nigeria Customs Service, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, and the Nigerian Ports Authority. Nwabueze confirmed the office has already received and is reviewing cases from the Niger State Internal Revenue Service and NIMASA.

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We have a couple of cases that have come out from the state, one from Niger State Internal Revenue and one from NIMASA. And those ones were recent, and we are working on them.

Established under Nigeria’s new tax administration framework, the office seeks to strengthen transparency, accountability, and fairness in the tax system. It aims to protect taxpayer rights while ensuring compliance with legitimate tax obligations, fostering greater confidence among citizens and businesses.

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What this office does