The Federal Government has named Dr. John Nwabueze as the new Tax Ombudsman under the provisions of the Joint Revenue Board of Nigeria (Establishment) Act, 2025.
The announcement was contained in a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
According to the release, the appointment reflects President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s resolve to reform Nigeria’s tax and revenue administration structure.
Dr. Nwabueze, who hails from Oshimili South Local Government Area of Delta State, has extensive experience in both the public and private sectors. Before this appointment, he 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; a Master of Science in Accounting from Strayer University, Washington D.C.; and Bachelor’s degrees in Accounting and Mathematics from the University of Jos.
President Tinubu congratulated Dr. Nwabueze on his appointment and expressed confidence in his ability to perform his duties with integrity and diligence.
The statement explained that the Office of the Tax Ombudsman was created to promote transparency and accountability in the nation’s tax system and to strengthen public trust in tax administration.
It will handle complaints and disputes involving taxes, levies, customs duties, regulatory fees, excise matters, and related issues.
“The Tax Ombudsman is mandated to ensure that disputes are managed in an efficient, impartial, and non-adversarial manner, thereby safeguarding the rights of taxpayers against the arbitrary or abusive exercise of authority by tax officials,” Onanuga stated.
