By Charles Ebi
Federal government yesterday, urged Nigerians to remain patient with the economic reforms being implemented by President Bola Tinubu, insisting that the policies were already yielding positive results and would soon translate into broader national prosperity.
The appeal came during the unveiling of the website, call centre and case management portal of the Office of the Tax Ombud in Abuja, an initiative aimed at improving taxpayer confidence, dispute resolution and transparency in tax administration.
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said the Tinubu administration’s reforms were beginning to reposition the economy after years of structural challenges.
According to him, the country was already witnessing encouraging economic indicators, including rising Gross Domestic Product, improved foreign reserves and moderating inflation figures.
He said Nigerians needed to support the reform agenda and allow sufficient time for the policies to fully mature. “At a time that President Bola Tinubu is embarking on enormous reforms to reposition this country to the path of sustainable progress and development, it is important for all of us to know what these reforms entail and which direction they are going”, he said.
The Minister added that the President had repeatedly assured Nigerians that “there is light at the end of the tunnel”, adding that the economy has indeed turned the corner for the first time in more than 13 years.
“The revenue that Nigeria has overseas has crossed the $50 billion mark. Our GDP is on the rise. Headline inflation and food inflation are beating even the administration’s own expectations”, he stated.
Idris stressed that all Nigerians must rally behind the administration’s economic agenda. “So, what I want to say is that there is the need for all Nigerians to support the reform agenda of Mr. President, to give it more time for it to come to fruition and to also ensure that all hands are on deck towards the right footing of the economy of this country”, he said.
Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Esther Walson-Jack, described the initiative as a major step towards building more citizen-centred public institutions.
She said the digital platforms would improve accessibility, complaints resolution and service delivery for taxpayers and other stakeholders.
According to her, tax administration should not merely focus on revenue collection but must also be built on trust, fairness, transparency and public confidence.
“When citizens and businesses know that there is a credible platform through which their concerns can be received, tracked and resolved, it strengthens voluntary compliance and deepens confidence in the tax system”, she said.
Walson-Jack, however, charged the Office of the Tax Ombuds to ensure that the new platforms genuinely inspire public trust and accountability.
She warned against treating the digital infrastructure as ordinary technology projects, insisting that they must function as real service transformation tools capable of delivering measurable improvements.
“The website must remain active and informative. The toll-free call centre must be responsive and professional. The case management system must support timely feedback, data-driven reporting and measurable improvement in how complaints and enquiries are handled”, she said.
She added that the platforms should help reduce bureaucratic bottlenecks, improve case tracking and ensure faster resolution of taxpayer complaints.
Also, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, said the establishment of the Office of the Tax Ombud reflected government’s commitment to strengthening taxpayer protection and improving trust in the nation’s tax system.
He said a modern tax system must be built on fairness, accountability, transparency and trust, rather than revenue collection alone.
According to him, taxpayers must have confidence that disputes arising from tax administration would be resolved fairly, respectfully and efficiently.
“The establishment of the Office of the Tax Ombuds reflects our commitment to strengthening taxpayer protection and improving confidence in the tax system”, he said.
Oyedele explained that the institution was designed to serve as an independent and impartial platform for resolving complaints, mediating disputes and addressing systemic tax-related issues across the country. He noted that the digital platforms commissioned would leverage technology to improve accessibility and efficiency in dispute resolution. “Taxpayers, regardless of location, can now engage more easily with the dispute resolution process without unnecessary administrative bottlenecks or delays, and the good news is that it is entirely free”, he said.
The Minister stated that the initiative aligned with the broader objectives of the Federal Government’s ongoing tax reforms, including simplifying tax administration, reducing arbitrarily, protecting taxpayers’ rights and encouraging voluntary compliance.
He added that the reforms were also aimed at building a fair and globally competitive fiscal system. “What distinguishes a credible system is not the absence of disagreements, but the presence of transparent, efficient and trusted mechanisms for resolving them”, he said.
Oyedele described the unveiling of the platforms as the beginning of a new era in tax administration where taxpayers would be treated as partners in national development rather than adversaries.
Earlier, Tax Ombud/Chief Executive, John Nwabueze said the aim is to ensure that every Nigerian taxpayer regardless of location, income level, or business size should have access to fair hearing, efficient redress mechanisms, and quality taxpayer services.
Dr. Nwabueze said the initiative also advances the broader objectives of Nigeria’s ongoing fiscal and tax reforms by strengthening public trust and deepening the social contract between government and citizens.
