Nigerian journalist and policy analyst Arabinrin Aderonke is set to present her research on the role of communication in strengthening tax compliance and domestic revenue mobilisation across Africa at the 11th African Tax Research Network Annual Congress in Kigali, Rwanda. The congress, organised by the African Tax Administration Forum, will bring together researchers, tax administrators, policymakers, and development practitioners to examine emerging taxation and public finance challenges across the continent. Aderonke's research, titled "Impact of Communication on Taxation in Africa," will explore how strategic communication can strengthen taxpayer awareness, build trust, and improve voluntary compliance.
The 11th African Tax Research Network Annual Congress, scheduled for September 22 to 24, 2026, at the Kigali Convention Centre, attracted 190 research paper submissions, reflecting growing interest in African-led research addressing taxation, revenue administration, and fiscal policy. Aderonke's research introduces a communication dimension to the conversation by examining how governments and revenue authorities explain taxation to taxpayers. Her study aims to investigate whether clearer and more effective engagement with citizens can contribute to improved understanding of taxation and encourage voluntary compliance.
Aderonke's research draws on her professional background spanning journalism, advocacy, public policy, and strategic communications. She previously worked as an investigative journalist and received recognition for her reporting, including the sports category of the Wole Soyinka Investigative Reporting Award. Her career subsequently expanded into advocacy and public-sector communications, including work connected to women and girls' empowerment, social inclusion, education, sport, and public policy. This experience provides a background for examining taxation not solely as a technical matter but also as an issue of public understanding.
Domestic revenue mobilisation has become an increasingly important policy issue across Africa as governments seek sustainable ways of financing public services and development. The Kigali congress will examine several dimensions of that challenge, including tax administration, the informal economy, digitalisation, cross-border taxation, and the use of data in fiscal policymaking. Aderonke's research raises a more fundamental question: how effectively do governments communicate taxation to the people expected to pay?
Tax communication can extend from explaining filing procedures and deadlines to helping citizens understand reforms, taxpayer rights, enforcement measures, and the relationship between revenue collection and public expenditure. Aderonke's presentation will place her communication perspective alongside research from academics and tax specialists from across Africa and beyond. The African Tax Research Network was established as a platform for African-focused tax research and dialogue, bringing researchers into conversation with policymakers and revenue administrators.
For Aderonke, the discussion provides an opportunity to argue that communication should not be treated merely as the final stage of tax policy, when governments announce what has already been decided. Instead, her research will examine whether communication can become a more substantive component of tax administration itself, helping authorities improve understanding, strengthen trust, and ultimately build a more constructive relationship between governments and taxpayers. This is particularly relevant as African governments face growing expenditure pressures and changes in the international development and tax environment.
Aderonke's participation in the congress provides an opportunity to contribute a communication perspective to discussions that are frequently dominated by economics, law, revenue administration, and fiscal policy. The congress comes as governments across the continent face the challenge of raising more domestic revenue while balancing economic pressures, taxpayer confidence, and the need for effective public services.
Key points
- Arabirin Aderonke to present research on tax communication at 11th African Tax Research Network Annual Congress
- Research explores role of communication in strengthening tax compliance and domestic revenue mobilisation across Africa
- Congress brings together researchers, tax administrators, policymakers, and development practitioners to examine emerging taxation and public finance challenges
