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 4th November 2025.
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.”
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. President 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 establishment of the Office of the Tax Ombud marks the beginning of a new era in the relationship between taxpayers and revenue authorities, one built on trust, due process and mutual respect.
Under the new law, the Office of the Tax Ombud is an independent statutory body empowered to:
• Receive, review, and resolve taxpayer complaints relating to taxes, levies, customs duties, excise matters, and regulatory fees;
• Investigate administrative or procedural unfairness in the conduct of tax authorities;
• Ensure impartial and non-adversarial dispute resolution, protecting taxpayers from arbitrary or abusive practices; and
• Promote awareness of taxpayer rights and obligations through education, guidance, and transparency initiatives.
This is one of the citizen-centred measures under the new tax reform laws to protect taxpayer rights and ensure that Nigeria’s tax administration serves the public interest, supports enterprise, and upholds justice in all fiscal matters.