The Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Zacch Adedeji, has called on tax administrators in Africa to seek local solutions to the challenges facing the continent, rather than relying on external sources for help.
Adedeji made this statement during a three-day council meeting of the African Tax Administration Forum (ATAF) held in Lagos, which was hosted by FIRS.
ATAF, headquartered in Pretoria, South Africa, was established in 2009 to provide a platform for African tax administrators to enhance their capacity, achieve revenue goals, and promote the role of taxation in African governance and state building.
Adedeji, who also serves as the President of the Commonwealth Association of Tax Administrators (CATA), emphasized the importance of finding practical solutions to address Africa’s challenges, particularly in the area of local resource mobilization.
He stressed that Africans are best suited to understand and solve their own problems.
He urged member countries to take ATAF matters seriously, adhere to the organisation’s rules, and work together to showcase the best Africa has to offer.
Adedeji highlighted the need for a smooth transition in the management of the secretariat, as the current Executive Secretary’s term is set to end in March 2025.
In his remarks, ATAF Vice Chairman and Commissioner General of the South African Revenue Service, Edward Kieswetter, emphasized the importance of building human capacity and leveraging technology in tax administration.
He noted that ATAF provides a unified voice for its members when engaging with global organizations like the OECD and the World Bank.
The Lagos council meeting was attended by ATAF Chairman Dr. Philippe Tchodie (Togo), Edward Kieswetter, Jeanette Makgolo (Botswana), Pascal Ruganintwali (Rwanda), Dingani Banda (Zambia).
Others include; Laila Benchekroun (Morocco), Georges Bigirimana (Burundi), Laban Simbeye (Zambia), Ebou Jallow (The Gambia), Dennis Kugonza (Uganda), and Logan Wort, the Executive Secretary of ATAF.
The meeting highlighted the importance of African tax administrators working together to find local solutions to the continent’s challenges and emphasized the need for collective efforts to promote the success of ATAF.
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