Tinubu Names John Nwabueze as Nigeria’s First Tax Ombudsman

President Bola Tinubu has appointed John Nwabueze from Delta as Nigeria’s first Tax Ombudsman, a move aimed at strengthening accountability and fairness in the country’s tax system. The announcement was made on Tuesday in Abuja by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy.

The appointment follows the Joint Revenue Board of Nigeria (Establishment) Act, 2025, under which the Office of the Tax Ombudsman was created to provide an independent platform for resolving disputes between taxpayers and tax authorities. The office will also handle complaints involving taxes, levies, customs duties, excise, regulatory fees, and other fiscal matters, offering a structured mechanism for impartial dispute resolution and redress against arbitrary or abusive conduct by tax officials.

Before this appointment, Nwabueze was Managing Partner of a leading tax advisory firm and served as Technical Adviser to the Joint Senate Committees on the Federal Capital Territory and Finance, as well as to the Chief Economic Adviser to former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

President Tinubu congratulated Nwabueze, expressing confidence in his ability to execute the role with integrity, diligence, and professionalism. The creation of the Tax Ombudsman is seen as a key step toward improving taxpayer confidence, fostering a stronger tax culture, and supporting the administration’s efforts to expand revenue collection while minimizing the burden on citizens and businesses.