Tinubu Appoints John Nwabueze as Nigeria’s First Tax Ombudsman

By Vincent Afolabi

5 November 2025

News

President Bola Tinubu has appointed John Nwabueze as the tax ombudsman, in line with the Joint Revenue Board of Nigeria (Establishment) Act, 2025.

Bayo Onanuga, special adviser to the president on information and strategy, announced the appointment in a statement on Tuesday.

He said the move aligns with the president’s commitment to implementing far-reaching and sustainable reforms in Nigeria’s tax and revenue administration framework.

Tinubu, according to the statement, congratulated Nwabueze and expressed confidence that he would perform his duties with integrity, dedication and professionalism.

Nwabueze, from Oshimili South Local Government Area of Delta state, brings extensive experience from both public service and private practice.
Before his appointment, he served as managing partner of a 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 dual bachelor’s degrees in accounting and mathematics from the University of Jos.

Onanuga said the office of the tax ombudsman was created to strengthen transparency and accountability in the tax system, enhance public confidence in tax administration, and provide a structured mechanism for fair and impartial resolution of disputes between taxpayers and revenue authorities.

“The office shall be responsible for receiving, reviewing and resolving complaints relating to taxes, levies, regulatory fees, customs duties, excise matters and other related issues, in accordance with extant laws and regulations,” the statement added.

“The tax ombudsman is mandated to ensure that disputes are managed in an efficient, impartial and non-adversarial manner, thereby protecting the rights of taxpayers against arbitrary or abusive actions by tax officials.”