The Office of the Tax Ombud has resolved approximately 82 per cent of complaints received from taxpayers since its establishment, while targeting the opening of six regional offices across Nigeria’s geopolitical zones before the end of 2026 to improve access to its services and strengthen the resolution of tax-related disputes.
The Tax Ombud and Chief Executive of the Office, Dr John Nwabueze, disclosed this in Abuja during the fourth-quarter 2026 Breakfast Meeting with members of the Finance Correspondents Association of Nigeria (FICAN).
Nwabueze said the proposed regional offices would be established across the country’s six geopolitical zones, subject to the final approval of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
He explained that the expansion was part of efforts to bring the Office closer to taxpayers, improve the handling of complaints and promote transparency and accountability in Nigeria’s tax and revenue administration system.
The Tax Ombud also disclosed plans to establish dedicated Tax Ombud desks within all 36 state tax authorities to facilitate real-time complaint handling and strengthen communication between taxpayers and revenue-collecting agencies.
According to him, the initiative would improve the Office’s responsiveness and provide taxpayers with more accessible channels to seek redress over disputes arising from their interactions with tax authorities.
Nwabueze said the Office had also intensified stakeholder engagement and public awareness campaigns through collaborations with independent partner organisations and government agencies, alongside the use of traditional and digital communication platforms.
He noted that the initiatives were designed to educate taxpayers about their rights, explain the mandate of the Office and encourage greater participation in the tax dispute resolution process.
The Tax Ombud said effective collaboration with state governments, federal agencies, the National Assembly and other stakeholders remained critical to achieving the Office’s mandate.
He added that feedback from state governments had been encouraging, while ongoing engagements with relevant institutions had strengthened support for the Office as a neutral intermediary in tax and revenue-related disputes.
Nwabueze emphasised that the Office provides free services to taxpayers, offering an accessible and cost-effective alternative to lengthy court proceedings through impartial mediation and constructive engagement between taxpayers and tax authorities.
He urged individuals and businesses experiencing difficulties in their dealings with tax and revenue authorities to approach the Office for assistance, stressing that taxpayers would not be required to pay for its intervention.
He explained that complaints that could not be resolved through the Office’s mediation process could be escalated through appropriate channels.
The Tax Ombud reiterated that the Office was committed to building public confidence in Nigeria’s tax system by ensuring that taxpayers had access to fair treatment, effective complaint resolution and institutional mechanisms for seeking redress.
He expressed confidence that the proposed regional offices, state-level desks and sustained stakeholder engagement would strengthen the Office’s capacity to address taxpayer grievances and improve accountability across the country’s tax administration system.
