—-As ATAF Drives Africa To Innovative Tax System For Growth
IPNEWS: The Commissioner General of the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA), James Dorbor Jallah, has emphasized Liberia’s commitment to accelerating its digital transformation in revenue collection and tax administration. The CG said the LRA and Liberia cannot afford to sit in the back seat as the rest of the continent and the world leverage the digital revolution to simplify tax payment and build transparent and efficient revenue systems.
Speaking in an intervirw at the African Tax Administration Forum (ATAF) Annual Meeting in Kigali, Rwanda, CG Jallah highlighted the significant strides the LRA has made while outlining a bold vision for further advancements.
The CG was speaking after on of Wednesday’s session, themed “Crafting the Future through Digitalization of Tax Administration,” with hundreds of tax administrators, development partners, and experts from across Africa gathered to discuss critical issues aimed at enhancing tax governance and boosting revenue mobilization in the continents to, among others, achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030 and Africa Agenda 2063.
African Tax Administrations have made strides in leveraging digital solutions to enhance efficiency and effectiveness. Despite these achievements, significant challenges remain, including high capital investment, human resource gaps, and varying levels of digital preparedness among countries, ATAF says. However, nations that have advanced in digitization have reported notable gains, making a compelling case for collective action to fast-track digitalization. During the session, participants emphasized the critical role of digitization in transforming tax administration system on the continent.
“The sessions and the ATAF meetings are very relevant to where the LRA is heading,” Jallah stated. “Our vision is to automate all systems and digitalize all processes to make tax payment easier and more efficient.”
Highlighting LRA’s ongoing digital transformation journey, CG Jallah noted several key achievements. The LRA is rolling out electronic fiscal devices to capture real-time transaction data, particularly in the merchandising sector. “We call on all taxpayers to cooperate as we roll out this major component of digitalization,” Jallah said.
The implementation of ASYCUDA and LITAS, advanced systems streamlining customs and core tax operations, has been further bolstered by the acquisition of 50 Starlink devices for enhanced connectivity at tax and customs offices nationwide. Following the recent passage of the VAT law, the LRA is leveraging digital tools to facilitate its implementation.
Jallah also underscored plans to integrate LRA’s systems with Liberia’s Finance Ministry, Liberia Business Registry, National Identification Registry, Social Security System, and banks to enhance transparency and compliance. “Our goal is to create a seamless tax administration system that increases compliance, promotes transparency, and ultimately boosts revenue generation,” he emphasized.
During the ongoing ATAF conference, CG Jallah is engaging Commissioner Generals from Zambia, Rwanda, and Eswatini, who have made great strides in digitazation in taxation, to explore successful digitization models. “Zambia, for example, has made significant progress, even automating to the point of closing their audit department. These collaborations are vital, as they allow us to adapt and customize proven strategies to our specific needs,” Jallah remarked.
Upon returning to Liberia from the ATAF Meetings, the Commissioner General said the immediate plan would be for the LRA to develop a dedicated digitization strategy aligned with the Authority’s broader corporate vision. This strategy will serve as a roadmap for achieving a fully automated and integrated tax system.
“With the willingness among member states to support each other, LRA is committed to leveraging the advancements of others while sharing its own expertise with neighboring nations like Gambia and Sierra Leone,” Jallah concluded.
The theme of this year’s ATAF Meetings is “Preparing for the Future: Revenue Administration in a Dynamic Global Landscape,” highlighting the critical role of domestic revenue mobilization (DRM) in driving economic independence and sustainable development across Africa. And, the LRA remains resolute in its mission to joining the rest of Africa to achieve the dream, CG Jallah notes.
