Tax Ombud Seeks IMF Support to Boost Dispute Resolution Capacity
By Kabir Abdulsalam,
The Tax Ombud/Chief Executive of the Office of the Tax Ombud, Nigeria, Dr. John Nwabueze, has called for strategic support from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to strengthen the country’s tax dispute resolution framework and enhance institutional capacity.
Nwabueze made the appeal during a high-level benchmark visit to the South African Tax Ombud in Pretoria, an engagement facilitated by the IMF as part of efforts to promote knowledge exchange and improve tax administration systems globally.
According to a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Office of the Tax Ombud, Chukwudi Achife, the visit provided a platform for Nigeria to understudy global best practices and deepen institutional collaboration.
Speaking at the session, Nwabueze expressed appreciation to the IMF for fostering international cooperation, while also commending the South African Tax Ombud for its openness in sharing operational insights.
He described the establishment of Nigeria’s Office of the Tax Ombud under the Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Act 2025 as a major policy milestone aimed at promoting fairness, transparency, and accountability in the country’s tax system.
Highlighting the mandate of the office, he said its operations are anchored on accessibility, neutrality, and systemic impact, noting that Nigeria’s complex fiscal environment presents a wide range of tax-related disputes across key sectors, including oil and gas, manufacturing, telecommunications, and the digital economy.
“As a young institution, we require targeted support to build robust operational systems, deepen technical expertise, and safeguard our functional independence,” he said.
Nwabueze specifically called on the IMF to provide specialised training, technical assistance, knowledge exchange programmes, and staff secondment opportunities to strengthen the office’s capacity.
He noted that such support would improve the quality and timeliness of dispute resolution, while also boosting taxpayer confidence and voluntary compliance.
The Tax Ombud added that the office remains committed to leveraging insights from the benchmarking visit to refine its operational framework and enhance its effectiveness in handling tax complaints.