President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of John Nwabueze as Nigeria’s first Tax Ombudsman.
The announcement came through a statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday, the 4th of November, 2025, by the Special Adviser to President Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
Onanuga explained that the decision follows the Joint Revenue Board of Nigeria (Establishment) Act, 2025.
He added that the appointment aligns with the administration’s goal to boost accountability, fairness, and confidence in the country’s tax and revenue framework.
Reports that before taking up this role, Nwabueze held the position of Managing Partner at a top tax advisory organisation. He also served as Technical Adviser to the Joint Senate Committees on the Federal Capital Territory and Finance, and later as Technical Adviser to the Chief Economic Adviser to former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
In a message congratulating him, President Tinubu expressed confidence in his capacity to deliver with integrity, diligence, and professionalism.
Reports that the Office of the Tax Ombudsman, created under the new law, offers taxpayers an independent route to resolve issues with revenue and tax agencies.
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The new office will entertain complaints involving taxes, levies, customs duties, excise, regulatory fees, and other related financial issues.
“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,” the statement said.