Tax Ombud urges journalists to drive tax literacy, explain reforms

The Tax Ombud and Chief Executive of the Office of the Tax Ombud, Dr. John Nwabueze, has urged financial journalists to take a leading role in improving tax literacy and helping Nigerians understand the country’s ongoing tax reforms.

Nwabueze made the call at the 36th Anniversary Conference of the Finance Correspondents Association of Nigeria (FICAN) in Lagos, where he spoke on the theme, “Building Taxpayer Confidence and Trust in Nigeria’s Tax Reform Agenda.”

He said financial journalists occupy a critical position between government, businesses, investors and the wider public because they help explain fiscal policies and their implications to ordinary Nigerians.

Nwabueze identified five areas where journalists could make a greater impact: explaining tax laws and their practical implications; scrutinising implementation rather than simply reporting government announcements; distinguishing lawful tax planning from tax evasion; investigating fairness in tax administration; and promoting financial and tax literacy.

He said tax reporting should go beyond announcing how much revenue government has collected to examining how the money is spent, the services delivered and its impact on economic development.

“The media’s role is not to endorse every government policy or oppose every reform. It is to inform the public, ask difficult questions, verify claims and hold institutions accountable,” Nwabueze said.

According to him, a credible financial press would help improve public understanding of tax policies and strengthen accountability in the system.

Nwabueze also commended President Bola Tinubu for his commitment to reforming Nigeria’s tax and revenue administration framework, saying the reforms were aimed at creating a fairer, more inclusive and sustainable tax system.

He noted that the reforms had also led to the establishment of the Office of the Tax Ombud, which he said was designed to strengthen taxpayer confidence in the tax system.

Nwabueze said the office would continue to promote understanding of the objectives and outcomes of the tax reforms while encouraging constructive engagement between taxpayers and revenue authorities.

“We must build institutions that taxpayers can approach with confidence and revenue authorities can engage with constructively. The objective is to strengthen lawful administration and encourage responsible engagement,” he said.