The Tax Ombud and Chief Executive of the Office of the Tax Ombud, Dr John Nwabueze, has urged financial journalists to promote tax literacy and help Nigerians better understand the country’s ongoing tax reforms.

Nwabueze made the call at the 36th Anniversary Conference of the Finance Correspondents Association of Nigeria (FICAN) in Lagos, where he spoke on the theme, ‘Building Taxpayer Confidence and Trust in Nigeria’s Tax Reform Agenda’.

He said financial journalists have an important role to play in bridging the gap between policy institutions and the public by translating the government’s fiscal policies and positions into information that businesses, households, investors and policymakers can understand.

According to him, journalists should go beyond reporting government announcements to examine how tax policies are implemented and their practical implications for taxpayers.

He identified five areas where financial journalists could contribute significantly to the tax reform process, including explaining tax laws and their practical implications, examining implementation rather than merely reporting announcements, distinguishing lawful tax planning from tax evasion, investigating administrative fairness, and promoting financial and tax literacy.

Nwabueze also stressed the need for journalists to help the public understand the connection between revenue generation, public expenditure, service delivery and economic development, rather than focusing only on the amount of revenue collected by the government.

“The media’s role is not to endorse every government policy or oppose every reform. It is to inform the public, ask difficult questions, verify claims and hold institutions accountable. A trusted financial press strengthens the quality of public discourse,” he said.

The Tax Ombud commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his leadership and commitment to reforming Nigeria’s tax and revenue administration framework towards greater fairness, inclusiveness and sustainability.

He said the comprehensive tax and revenue reforms had, most importantly, led to the establishment of the Office of the Tax Ombud to promote confidence in the tax system.

Nwabueze said the office was committed to contributing to a broader understanding of the objectives and outcomes of the tax reform agenda.

“We must build institutions that taxpayers can approach with confidence and revenue authorities can engage with constructively. The objective is to strengthen lawful administration and encourage responsible engagement,” he stated.

He said the ongoing tax reforms led by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, were addressing the problem of multiple taxation and the cumulative burden of taxes, levies, fees and charges on businesses.