The Office of the Tax Ombud (OTO) has advocated for fairer tax administration, robust taxpayer protection, and greater accountability from revenue authorities, emphasising that public confidence is essential to improving voluntary tax compliance in Nigeria.
Speaking at a stakeholders’ engagement with revenue professional bodies in Lagos on Thursday, the Chief Executive of the Tax Ombud, John Nwabueze, stated that effective tax administration relies not only on legislation and enforcement but equally on public trust.
The event, themed “Promoting Fairness, Transparency and Trust in Nigeria,” centred on strengthening the relationship between taxpayers and the government. Mr Nwabueze noted that citizens are more inclined to comply voluntarily when they perceive the tax system as fair, transparent, impartial, predictable, and accountable.
He explained that the creation of the OTO reflects global best practices and demonstrates Nigeria’s commitment to establishing an independent, impartial, and credible institution dedicated to protecting taxpayers’ rights. Since its inception, the office has structured its governance and operational frameworks, developed institutional policies and complaint-handling procedures, and initiated stakeholder engagements across the public and private sectors to address taxpayer grievances.
