The President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the appointment of Dr. John Nwabueze as the country’s pioneer Tax Ombudsman, marking a major step in the administration’s ongoing reforms of Nigeria’s tax and revenue management system.
According to the Press Release from the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the appointment, made under the provisions of the Joint Revenue Board of Nigeria (Establishment) Act, 2025, underscores the President’s determination to strengthen accountability, fairness, and efficiency within the nation’s tax structure.
Dr. Nwabueze, a native of Oshimili South Local Government Area in Delta State, brings with him vast professional and public service experience spanning both the private and public sectors. Before his new role, 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; 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.
The statement further read that the Office of the Tax Ombudsman will serve as a mechanism to promote transparency, protect taxpayer rights, and facilitate fair dispute resolution between citizens and tax authorities.
The Ombudsman’s mandate includes receiving and resolving complaints on taxes, levies, customs duties, excise, and related issues in a non-adversarial and impartial manner, ensuring that revenue officials uphold the highest standards of integrity in service delivery.
President Tinubu congratulated Dr. Nwabueze, expressing confidence in his “capacity to deliver with integrity, diligence, and professionalism.”
