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

n n

By Emma Ujah, Abuja Bureau Chief

n

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.

n

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

n

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.

n

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

n

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

n

‘We’ll ensure fairness in tax administration’

n

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.

n

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

n

“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.

n

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.

n

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

n

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.

n n