The Commissioner-General of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), Anthony Kwasi Sarpong, has emphasised the need for stronger cooperation among African tax administrations to boost domestic revenue mobilisation. He made this call at the opening of the 8th High-Level Policy Dialogue and 23rd General Assembly of the West African Tax Administration Forum (WATAF) in Accra. The meeting, co-hosted by the GRA and WATAF, was on the theme: “Building Stronger Tax Administrations for Revenue Mobilisation and Sustainable Development.”
Mr Sarpong noted that governments across the sub-region were facing growing public financing needs and debt vulnerabilities amid increasing demands for infrastructure, social investment, climate adaptation and digital transformation. He stressed that African countries needed to mobilise domestic resources fairly, efficiently and sustainably to address their development financing challenges. This, he believes, will support sustainable development and enhance business confidence.
West Africa recorded real Gross Domestic Product growth of 4.8 per cent in 2025, with growth projected at 4.6 per cent in 2026. However, the region continues to face a significant development financing gap. Mr Sarpong urged tax administrations to broaden the tax base, formalise activities in the informal economy, improve the management of natural resource revenues and strengthen information exchange among jurisdictions.
Effective tax systems are central to state capacity and the social contract between citizens and governments. Mr Sarpong added that fair and trusted tax administration can promote development and enhance business confidence. He called for greater deployment of technology, including e-filing, e-payment, digital invoicing, data analytics and artificial intelligence, to improve compliance, detect tax evasion and broaden the tax base.
The Commissioner-General also urged tax administrations to build strong institutions anchored in professionalism, meritocracy, integrity, accountability and transparency. He believes that stronger collaboration, technological innovation and robust institutions are critical to improving revenue mobilisation across the region. This, he notes, will help address the development financing challenges facing African countries.
The 8th High-Level Policy Dialogue and 23rd General Assembly of WATAF brought together tax administrators and experts from across West Africa to discuss strategies for improving revenue mobilisation. The meeting provided a platform for participants to share best practices and experiences in tax administration. It also offered an opportunity for them to discuss ways to strengthen regional cooperation and enhance domestic revenue mobilisation.
The GRA has been working to improve revenue mobilisation through various initiatives, including the deployment of technology and the implementation of new tax policies. The authority has also been engaging with taxpayers to educate them on their tax obligations and encourage compliance. With stronger cooperation among African tax administrations, the GRA hopes to achieve its revenue targets and support sustainable development in the region.
Key points
- The GRA Commissioner-General calls for stronger cooperation among African tax administrations to enhance domestic revenue mobilisation.
- African countries need to mobilise domestic resources fairly, efficiently and sustainably to address development financing challenges.
- Effective tax systems are central to state capacity and the social contract between citizens and governments.
