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By Uche Usim
The Office of the Tax Ombud says it has strengthened its digital infrastructure and expanded access to its dispute resolution services as part of efforts to make tax administration more transparent, accessible and efficient for Nigerians.
Speaking at the office’s quarterly media briefing in Lagos on Friday, the Tax Ombud and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. John Nwabueze, said the agency has launched a website, established a toll-free call centre and digitally connected with 16 government agencies to enable faster handling of taxpayers’ complaints.
According to him, the digital platform now allows taxpayers to submit complaints online, making it easier for individuals and businesses to seek redress without visiting the agency physically.
“We have acquired a website, a call centre and other facilities needed to deepen our digital presence.
People can now log their problems digitally through our website. We also have 16 agencies digitally connected with us, including the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS), the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and others,” he said.
Nwabueze said the quarterly briefing is part of the office’s awareness campaign aimed at educating Nigerians about its mandate and the free services it offers.
“We’re improving awareness and that is why we hold this quarterly briefing to let Nigerians know what we’re doing. The response level is improving as more people get to know about the Tax Ombud,” he said.
He disclosed that the office has successfully resolved eight tax-related complaints, while 12 others are currently under investigation.
Although many enquiries received fall outside the agency’s statutory mandate, Nwabueze said the office continues to guide complainants to the appropriate institutions.
He stressed that the law requires the Tax Ombud to resolve complaints within 14 days and has directed the legal and operations departments to strictly comply with the timeline.
“The law gives us a 14-day window to resolve issues, and I’ve told my legal and operations departments to stick to this rule
Those we’ve resolved were done in less than two weeks,” he said.
He explained that while straightforward complaints should be concluded within three weeks, more complex systemic issues involving policy or institutions could take up to a year to resolve.
“The law allows us 14 days to resolve a dispute. But if we’re not able to, we have another seven days where necessary.
“So, most personalised cases should be resolved within three weeks. However, some systemic issues require more time because they involve broader reforms,” he added.
Nwabueze said the office enjoys strong cooperation from government agencies and organisations whenever complaints are referred to them.
“When we send out letters to establishments, we get 101 per cent cooperation. They know the Office of the Tax Ombud means well for all parties and for the nation. Once cases are resolved, everyone is happy,” he said.
He also announced plans to establish offices across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones before expanding nationwide to improve access to the agency’s services.
“Our services are free and our call centre is toll-free. We want no Nigerian to be left behind. In four years’ time, we expect to have a presence across the country, but we need the support of the media to continue telling Nigerians about what we do,” he said.
The Tax Ombud noted that most complaints received so far involve individual taxpayers, many of whom are represented by legal practitioners seeking fair and timely resolution of tax disputes.
