The Federal Government has said it is committed to ensuring taxpayers are treated with fairness and respect.

Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, stated this on Monday in Abuja at the unveiling of the official website, toll-free call centre and case management portal of the Office of the Tax Ombud.

He charged tax authorities to stop treating taxpayers as adversaries but partners in national development.

He said the unveiling marked an important milestone in Nigeria’s fiscal reform journey, adding that a modern tax system must be built not only on efficient revenue collection, but also on fairness, transparency, accountability and trust.

The minister said: “Taxpayers must have confidence that when disputes arise, they will be heard fairly, treated respectfully and provided with accessible, affordable and timely resolution mechanisms.

“The establishment of the Tax Ombud reflects our commitment to strengthening taxpayer protection and improving confidence in the tax system.

“The tax Ombud is designed to serve as an independent, accessible and impartial platform for resolving complaints, mediating disputes and addressing systemic issues affecting taxpayers across the country.”

Oyedele said the initiative aligned with the broader objectives of Nigeria’s ongoing tax reforms, including simplifying tax administration, reducing arbitrariness, protecting taxpayers’ rights, encouraging voluntary compliance and building a fair and globally competitive fiscal system.

The Tax Ombud and Chief Executive of the Office of the Tax Ombud, Dr John Nwabueze, while commending President Bola Tinubu for his visionary leadership and commitment to reforming Nigeria’s tax system, said the tax ombud was established to promote fairness, transparency, accountability and efficiency in the tax administration process.

He said the office represented one of the most forward-looking institutional reforms.

“Globally, modern tax systems are anchored not only on revenue mobilisation, but also fairness, accessibility and public trust. Our mandate is clear to serve as a trusted bridge between taxpayers and tax authorities through mediation, conciliation, stakeholder engagements and alternative dispute resolution mechanisms to reduce the burden of prolonged litigation,” he said.

He said the event was more than just a technology launch but “the activation of a new public service architecture designed around accessibility, responsiveness and citizens’ confidence”.

“The digital platform being unveiled today will significantly improve the taxpayers’ experience by enabling them to efficiently and effectively engage digitally on their phones with the organisation, lodge complaints seamlessly, and track their cases in real time,” he said.

The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Esther Walson-Jack, said the launch of the digital platforms speaks directly to the need for more accessible, responsive citizen-centred public institutions.

She said by creating a toll-free call centre and structured case management system, the office of the tax Ombud is strengthening public confidence, improving complaints resolution and enhancing service delivery to taxpayers and other stakeholders.

The Office of the Tax Ombud was created under part VI of the Joint Revenue Board of Nigeria Establishment Act 2025 to review and resolve complaints about tax, levy regulatory fees and charges, customs duty and excise matters.