The Gambia Revenue Authority (GRA) and the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) have signed a Memorandum of Engagement (MoE) to enhance digital revenue administration. The agreement was reached on the sidelines of the 8th West African Tax Administration Forum (WATAF) High-Level Policy Dialogue in Accra, Ghana. GRA Commissioner General Yankuba Darboe and LRA Commissioner General James Dorbor Jallah signed the deal, marking a significant example of South-South cooperation.
The partnership will see the LRA provide targeted technical assistance to support the GRA in designing and implementing a functional Revenue Collection Dashboard prototype. This will involve assessing GRA's existing revenue data systems, identifying key revenue performance indicators, and advising on dashboard architecture. The LRA will also provide capacity building for GRA staff, ensuring they can independently maintain and utilize the dashboard after the technical assistance ends.
The collaboration emerged from an informal exchange during the WATAF meetings, where the Liberian delegation showcased their Revenue Collection Dashboard. Impressed by the innovation, Commissioner General Darboe requested technical assistance to learn from Liberia's experience. The request was welcomed by his Liberian counterpart and later formalized through official correspondence and the MoE signing.
Under the agreement, the LRA will deploy Mr. Jupar Dunbar, Assistant Commissioner for Enterprise Data Analytics, to The Gambia for an initial three weeks. Mr. Dunbar, the primary developer of the LRA's dashboard, will focus on transferring practical knowledge and helping GRA develop a prototype suited to its environment. The GRA will provide accommodation, local transport, and logistical support, while the LRA will finance the expert's return airfare.
Commissioner General Darboe expressed gratitude to the LRA for its enthusiasm and speed in finalizing the partnership. He emphasized that such cooperation reduces reform costs, accelerates modernization, and helps African revenue administrations develop responsive solutions. Darboe advocated for more African peer learning, stating that one administration's effective digital solution should be accessible to others.
The partnership demonstrates the potential of regional platforms like WATAF to facilitate tangible institutional collaboration. For the GRA, the dashboard is expected to strengthen revenue information consolidation and management. The cooperation also highlights the benefits of peer-to-peer learning and knowledge transfer in enhancing digital revenue administration.
The agreement is expected to have a positive impact on The Gambia's revenue administration, enabling more efficient consolidation and use of revenue information. The GRA and LRA have set a precedent for future collaborations, showcasing the value of South-South cooperation in driving digital innovation and modernization in African revenue administrations.
Key points
- The Gambia Revenue Authority and Liberia Revenue Authority have signed a Memorandum of Engagement to strengthen digital revenue administration through peer-to-peer technical cooperation.
- The partnership will enhance The Gambia's revenue collection and management through the development of a Revenue Collection Dashboard prototype.
- The agreement demonstrates the potential of regional platforms like WATAF to facilitate tangible institutional collaboration and knowledge transfer.
