Tax Ombud set to launch taxpayer’s bill of rights, obligations

The Office of the Tax Ombud (OTO) is set to launch a Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights and Obligations in the coming weeks as part of efforts to deepen taxpayer awareness, promote fairness and strengthen trust in Nigeria’s tax administration.

The Tax Ombud and Chief Executive Officer of OTO, Mr. John Nwabueze, disclosed this, yesterday, at a stakeholders’ engagement in Abuja.

Nwabueze said the Bill would give taxpayers a clear understanding of their rights and responsibilities while setting out the standards of fairness, transparency and accountability they should expect from tax and revenue authorities.

According to him, the document would be made available through the OTO’s digital platforms and other public channels.

He said: “We believe this will strengthen taxpayer awareness, encourage voluntary compliance, prevent disputes and build greater trust across the tax ecosystem.”

‘We’ll ensure fairness in tax administration’

Describing the stakeholders’ engagement as a key component of the OTO’s taxpayer rights campaign, Nwabueze vowed that the office would work to ensure a fair, transparent and responsive tax system.

He said a simplified and equitable tax system was critical to building a new national consciousness and restoring public trust in tax administration.

“This is not simply about discussing taxation and revenue. It is about strengthening the relationship between the taxpayer and the institutions responsible for administering public revenue,” he said.

Nwabueze said OTO had commenced a structured public awareness and stakeholder sensitisation programme to improve understanding of its mandate, services and the rights available to taxpayers.

He explained that effective protection of taxpayers’ rights depended on citizens knowing those rights and understanding where and how to seek redress.

The Tax Ombud disclosed that Nigeria’s OTO was the third such institution established in Africa and the ninth globally, placing the country within a broader international development in modern tax administration.