Nigerian lawyers have called for stronger trust between taxpayers and tax authorities, saying a fair and accessible tax system is necessary to encourage Nigerians to pay their taxes willingly and improve government revenue.
The lawyers also backed the voluntary tax compliance campaign being promoted by the Office of the Tax Ombud, stressing that taxation remains an important source of funds for government to provide infrastructure and essential social services.
The position was expressed during a panel session titled ‘Pay Now, Prosper Later’ at the ongoing 66th Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The development was contained in a press release issued by the Office of the Tax Ombud on Tuesday and signed by its Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Chukwudi Achife.
Speaking at the session, the Tax Ombud, Nwabueze, said taxpayers needed a trusted and independent channel through which they could raise complaints about tax administration without necessarily having to go through lengthy legal processes.
He said the Office of the Tax Ombud was established to provide taxpayers with an impartial avenue for resolving complaints arising from administrative and procedural problems in the tax system.
According to him, removing such difficulties would help build confidence between taxpayers and the agencies responsible for collecting taxes.
‘It is our belief that the Office will contribute significantly towards bridging the gap between taxpayers and tax administration, making the tax system more accessible and trusted,’ Nwabueze said.
He added that the office was committed to ensuring that tax complaints were handled openly and fairly, with the broader objective of improving confidence in Nigeria’s tax system.
The Tax Ombud disclosed that since it began receiving complaints from members of the public in January, it had received 22 cases, of which 14 had already been resolved.
He said the office was also engaging relevant stakeholders and increasing public awareness to ensure that more Nigerians understood its role and could take advantage of its services when they encountered problems with tax administration.
Nwabueze explained that the Tax Ombud was not a court and did not replace existing judicial or tax dispute resolution institutions. Rather, he said, its role was to provide an early and independent avenue for resolving disputes before they became lengthy court cases.
He said this could also help reduce the number of tax-related matters reaching the courts and other bodies responsible for settling disputes.
The development comes as Nigeria continues to seek ways of increasing domestic revenue and encouraging more individuals and businesses to comply with their tax obligations. Improving public confidence in the tax system is important to achieving voluntary compliance, particularly where taxpayers believe that complaints can be heard and resolved fairly.
The Office of the Tax Ombud said it would continue to work towards making the tax administration system easier for Nigerians to navigate while promoting fairness, transparency and accountability.
Nwabueze urged taxpayers to make use of the office whenever they encountered administrative or procedural difficulties in their dealings with tax authorities.
He said growing awareness of the Tax Ombud’s functions would help strengthen the relationship between taxpayers and government and contribute to a more trusted tax environment.