Nigeria: Tax Ombud Resolves 22 Complaints, Plans 57 Desk Offices to Speed Process
[Leadership] The Office of the Tax Ombud said it has resolved at least 22 of the 33 complaints it has received so far, and plans to set up about 57 desk offices in states and revenue-generating agencies to reduce delays in handling taxpayer complaints.
The Nigeria Tax Ombud has resolved 22 out of 33 complaints it has received so far, and plans to establish 57 desk offices across states and revenue-generating agencies to expedite the process. The tax authority chief executive, Dr. John Nwabueze, revealed this on the weekend, stating that the desk offices will ensure the 14-day limit for addressing complaints set by law is met.
The primary issue, according to Nwabueze, is the lengthy process of transferring letters between the office, complainants, and tax authorities, often causing delays of up to seven days, which exhausts the 14-day limit. To tackle this, the Ombud plans to place a desk office in each revenue and tax agency, including all 36 state internal revenue services, the Federal Capital Territory's revenue service, and other revenue-generating entities.
This move aims to facilitate real-time processing, with a complaint received in the morning expected to receive a response by the end of the day. Regarding taxpayer awareness, Nwabueze noted that many Nigerians are unaware of the office's existence, which is why complaints are still relatively few. To tackle this, the office is leveraging television, print media, and public events to raise awareness.
Additionally, a taxpayers' charter is nearly ready and will be made available in Nigerian languages, given the country's over 200 languages. The office is free of charge and aims to spare taxpayers the cost and stress of court proceedings.
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