President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the appointment of John Nwabueze as Nigeria’s inaugural Tax Ombudsman.

The appointment was announced on Tuesday in Abuja by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy. Onanuga noted that the role was established under the Joint Revenue Board of Nigeria (Establishment) Act, 2025, as part of the government’s efforts to enhance accountability, fairness, and public confidence in the nation’s tax and revenue system.

Prior to his appointment, Nwabueze served as Managing Partner of a leading tax advisory firm and held key advisory roles, including Technical Adviser to the Joint Senate Committees on the FCT and Finance and to the Chief Economic Adviser under former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

President Tinubu congratulated Nwabueze, expressing confidence in his ability to execute the role with integrity, diligence, and professionalism.

The newly established Office of the Tax Ombudsman is tasked with providing an independent platform for taxpayers to resolve disputes with tax and revenue authorities. The office will address complaints relating to taxes, levies, customs duties, excise, regulatory fees, and other fiscal matters.

“The office will offer a structured mechanism for fair and impartial dispute resolution, ensuring redress against arbitrary or abusive conduct by tax officials,” the statement said. “Its creation marks a major step toward strengthening taxpayer confidence, improving Nigeria’s tax culture, and supporting the administration’s efforts to expand revenue collection without placing undue burden on citizens or businesses.”