Nigeria’s Tax Ombud seeks IMF support to strengthen institutional capacity

Nigeria’s Tax Ombud seeks IMF support to strengthen institutional capacity

The Tax Ombud/Chief Executive, Office of the Tax Ombud, Nigeria, Dr. John Nwabueze, has called for strategic support from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to enhance the operational capacity, independence, and effectiveness of Nigeria’s newly established tax arbiter.

Dr. Nwabueze made this appeal at the ongoing high-level benchmark visit to the South African Tax Ombud in Pretoria, facilitated by the IMF as part of its global initiative to strengthen tax administration systems through knowledge exchange and institutional collaboration.

Speaking at the engagement, Dr. Nwabueze expressed appreciation to the IMF for promoting international cooperation and acknowledged the South African Tax Ombud for its hospitality and openness in sharing institutional insights and best practices.

He noted that the establishment of Nigeria’s Office of the Tax Ombud under Part VI of the Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Act 2025 represents a significant policy milestone by the administration of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, aimed at promoting fairness, transparency, and accountability in tax administration.

The Nigeria’s Tax Ombud, who noted that “The Office’s work is anchored on three core pillars: accessibility, neutrality, and systemic impact,” highlighted the complexity of Nigeria’s fiscal environment and the breadth of tax-related complaints spanning sectors such as oil and gas, manufacturing, telecommunications, and the digital economy.
“As a young institution, we require targeted support to build robust operational systems, deepen technical expertise, and safeguard our functional independence,” he stated.

He therefore called on the IMF to support the Office through specialized training programmes, technical assistance, knowledge exchange initiatives, and staff secondment opportunities. He stressed that such interventions would significantly improve the quality and timeliness of dispute resolution, while strengthening taxpayer confidence and voluntary compliance.

Dr. Nwabueze further affirmed that the Office is committed to leveraging insights gained from the benchmarking visit to refine its operational framework and enhance institutional effectiveness.