As ATAF Drives Africa To Innovative Tax System For Growth
Monrovia, Liberia – James Dorbor Jallah, the Commissioner General of the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA), highlighted the country’s dedication to accelerating its digital transformation in tax administration and revenue collection. According to the CG, the LRA and Liberia cannot afford to take a backseat while the rest of the continent and the globe use the digital revolution to streamline tax payments and create clear, effective revenue systems.
CG Jallah spoke in an interview at the African Tax Administration Forum (ATAF) Annual Meeting in Kigali, Rwanda, highlighting the important progress the LRA has accomplished and presenting a daring plan for future developments.
The CG’s remarks followed a session on Wednesday with the theme “Crafting the Future through Digitalization of Tax Administration,” where hundreds of tax administrators, development partners, and experts from throughout Africa convened to discuss important issues regarding improving tax governance and increasing revenue mobilization in the continents to, among other things, achieve Africa Agenda 2063 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030.
In order to increase efficiency and effectiveness, African tax administrations have made significant progress in using digital technologies. According to ATAF, large obstacles still exist in spite of these successes, such as costly capital expenditure, a shortage of human resources, and disparities in nations’ degrees of digital readiness. Nevertheless, countries that have made significant progress in digitization have reported significant advantages, which makes the argument for group action to accelerate digitalization strong. Participants underlined throughout the event how important digitalization is to changing the continent’s tax administration structure.
“The ATAF meetings and sessions are highly pertinent to the direction the LRA is taking,” Jallah said. “To make tax payment simpler and more effective, we want to automate all systems and digitize all procedures.”
Highlighting LRA’s continuous path toward digital transformation, CG Jallah highlighted a number of significant successes. To collect transaction data in real time, especially in the retailing industry, the LRA is implementing electronic fiscal devices. “We call on all taxpayers to cooperate as we roll out this major component of digitalization,” stated Jallah.
The purchase of fifty Starlink devices for improved connection at tax and customs offices around the country has further supported the deployment of ASYCUDA and LITAS, cutting-edge technologies that streamline customs and core tax processes. In the wake of the VAT law’s recent approval, the LRA is using digital technologies to make its implementation easier.
Additionally, Jallah emphasized intentions to improve transparency and compliance by integrating LRA’s systems with Liberia’s Finance Ministry, Liberia Business Registry, National Identification Registry, Social Security System, and banks. He stressed, “We want to establish a smooth tax administration system that encourages transparency, raises compliance, and eventually increases revenue generation.”
CG Jallah is interacting with Commissioner Generals from Zambia, Rwanda, and Eswatini—all of whom have made significant progress in digitizing their tax systems—during the current ATAF meeting in order to investigate effective digitization methods. For instance, Zambia has made great strides, automating its audit department to the extent of shutting it. According to Jallah, these partnerships are essential because they enable us to modify and tailor tried-and-true tactics to our unique requirements.
The Commissioner General stated that the LRA will immediately create a specialized digital strategy in line with the Authority’s overarching corporate objective after returning to Liberia from the ATAF Meetings. This plan will act as a guide for creating a completely integrated and automated tax system.
Jallah said, “LRA is committed to leveraging the advancements of others while sharing its own expertise with neighboring nations like Gambia and Sierra Leone, given the willingness among member states to support one another.”
This year’s ATAF Meetings have as its topic “Preparing for the Future: Revenue Administration in a Dynamic Global Landscape,” emphasizing the vital role that domestic revenue mobilization (DRM) plays in promoting sustainable development and economic independence throughout Africa. According to CG Jallah, the LRA is still committed to working with the rest of Africa to realize the ideal.
