Tinubu Appoints Nwabueze as Nigeria’s First Tax Ombudsman

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the appointment of Dr. John Nwabueze as Nigeria’s Tax Ombudsman , marking a major step in the admi...

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the appointment of Dr. John Nwabueze as Nigeria’s Tax Ombudsman, marking a major step in the administration’s ongoing reforms to strengthen transparency and accountability in the country’s tax system.

The appointment, announced in a statement on Tuesday by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, was made in line with the Joint Revenue Board of Nigeria (Establishment) Act, 2025.

Onanuga said the decision reflects President Tinubu’s commitment to implementing far-reaching reforms in Nigeria’s tax and revenue administration framework to foster fairness, efficiency, and public trust.

“Dr. John Nwabueze, from Oshimili South Local Government Area of Delta State, brings extensive professional and public service experience to the new role,” the statement read.

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

He holds a Doctor of Business Administration (Finance) from Walden University, Minneapolis, USA; an M.Sc. in Accounting from Strayer University, Washington, D.C.; and dual B.Sc. degrees in Accounting and Mathematics from the University of Jos, Nigeria.

President Tinubu congratulated Dr. Nwabueze, expressing confidence in his integrity, diligence, and professionalism to discharge the responsibilities of the new office effectively.

According to Onanuga, the Office of the Tax Ombudsman has been created to enhance transparency within the tax system and provide a structured, non-adversarial mechanism for resolving disputes between taxpayers and revenue authorities.

The Ombudsman’s office, he said, will be responsible for receiving, reviewing, and resolving complaints related to taxes, levies, customs duties, excise matters, and other fiscal issues, in line with existing laws and regulations.

It will also safeguard taxpayers’ rights against arbitrary or abusive practices by tax officials, ensuring fairness, impartiality, and efficiency in tax administration across all levels of government.