FG appoints Nwabueze as Tax Ombudsman

The Federal Government has announced the appointment of Dr John Nwabueze as the Tax Ombudsman, in accordance with the provisions of the Joint Revenue Board of Nigeria (Establishment) Act, 2025.

This was contained in a statement issued by Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, on Tuesday.

According to the statement, “The appointment aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to implementing far-reaching and sustainable reforms in the tax and revenue administration framework.”

It further said: “Dr John Nwabueze, from Oshimili South Local Government Area of Delta State, brings extensive professional and public service experience to the new job.”

Prior to his appointment, he served as Managing Partner of a reputable tax advisory firm, Technical Adviser to the Joint Senate Committees on the Federal Capital Territory and Finance of the National Assembly, and Technical Adviser to the Chief Economic Adviser to former President Olusegun Obasanjo, among other significant engagements in both the public and private sectors.

Nwabueze holds a Doctor of Business Administration (Finance) from Walden University, Minneapolis, USA; a Master of Science in Accounting from Strayer University, Washington, D.C.; and dual Bachelor of Science degrees in Accounting and Mathematics from the University of Jos, Nigeria.

Tinubu congratulated Nwabueze on this appointment and expressed confidence in his capacity to discharge the responsibilities of his office with integrity, diligence, and utmost professionalism.

The Office of the Tax Ombudsman has been established to strengthen transparency and accountability within the tax system, enhance confidence in tax administration, and provide a structured mechanism for the fair and impartial resolution of disputes between taxpayers and revenue authorities.

The Office shall be responsible for receiving, reviewing, and resolving complaints relating to taxes, levies, regulatory fees, customs duties, excise matters, and other related issues, in accordance with extant laws and regulations.

The Tax Ombudsman is further mandated to ensure that disputes are managed in an efficient, impartial, and non-adversarial manner, thereby safeguarding the rights of taxpayers against the arbitrary or abusive exercise of authority by tax officials.