IPNEWS: The African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF) has reaffirmed its commitment to deepening its strategic partnership with the West African Tax Administration Forum (WATAF) to strengthen the expertise of tax and customs administrations across West Africa in addressing the rapidly evolving digital economy.
The commitment was reaffirmed during a high-level meeting between executives of ACBF and the WATAF Secretariat in Abuja, Nigeria, where both institutions advanced preparations for the second phase of the Regional Executive and Technical Master Class on the Taxation of the Digital Economy.
The meeting, held on Friday, June 26, 2026, marks another milestone in the implementation of the Memorandum of Cooperation signed by WATAF and ACBF in September 2025 to strengthen institutional capabilities and technical expertise in digital taxation across the region.
The first phase of the Regional Executive and Technical Master Class was held virtually in February 2026 and attracted more than 170 participants, including Commissioners-General, Deputy Heads of Tax Administrations, Directors responsible for Tax Policy, Value Added Tax, International Taxation, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), and Large Taxpayer Offices from across West Africa and beyond.
The second phase, scheduled for later this year, will bring participants together for in-person technical training designed to equip tax leaders and specialists with practical tools to address the complexities of taxing digital business models.
Between 2024 and June 2026, WATAF implemented 26 regional training programmes, reaching nearly 2,000 tax officials and strengthening the institutional and technical capabilities of member tax administrations to enhance domestic revenue mobilization across West Africa.
These achievements reinforce WATAF’s position as West Africa’s premier platform for tax administration cooperation, serving as a trusted regional hub for technical assistance, knowledge exchange, professional development and policy dialogue.
Leading the ACBF delegation, the Foundation’s Director of Programmes and Impact, Mr. Abdrahamane Dicko, praised WATAF’s growing regional leadership in professional development and reaffirmed ACBF’s readiness to deepen collaboration.
“WATAF and ACBF have much in common. We share a common commitment to capacity building and institutional strengthening, and there are many opportunities for us to work together to build stronger tax administration [across West Africa],” Mr. Dicko said.
Reflecting on the broader development agenda, Mr. Dicko observed that capacity development is often complex, but strong partnerships significantly improve outcomes by combining expertise, resources and regional experience.
Mr. Dicko also emphasized the importance of establishing robust monitoring and evaluation systems to measure the long-term impact of training programmes beyond participation statistics.
“What comes after the figures? How do we demonstrate the relevance and institutional impact beyond the number of participants? We need practical tools and frameworks to measure how knowledge translates into stronger institutions and improved performance,” he said.
Also speaking, Mr. Peguewinde Rudolphe Bance, Head of Economic and Social Governance at ACBF and Head of the Foundation’s Nairobi Office, commended the successful implementation of the first phase of the Master Class and described the WATAF-ACBF partnership as an important investment in strengthening tax administration across the region.
Turning to the next phase of the partnership, Mr. Bance said both institutions were finalizing implementation modalities for the second phase of the Master Class, describing it as a critical step toward equipping tax administrations with the knowledge and practical skills required to address the challenges of taxing the digital economy.
Welcoming the delegation, WATAF Executive Secretary, Mr. Jules Tapsoba, expressed appreciation for ACBF’s continued confidence in WATAF and reaffirmed the Forum’s commitment to delivering practical, high-quality professional development programmes for its member administrations.
“We thank ACBF for this valuable partnership. Together, we are strengthening the knowledge and technical capacity of tax administrations to effectively address digital taxation and other emerging tax challenges,” Mr. Tapsoba said.
Positioning the initiative within WATAF’s long-term regional agenda, Mr. Tapsoba emphasized that strengthening the expertise of member tax administrations remains central to the Forum’s mandate. He noted that the Digital Economy Master Class is one of the flagship initiatives that came out of the 2025 WATAF General Assembly in Freetown, Sierra Leone.
Looking ahead, Mr. Tapsoba reaffirmed WATAF’s commitment to deepening collaboration with development partners to expand regional expertise in digital taxation, VAT administration and harmonization, international taxation, and other strategic areas that strengthen domestic revenue mobilization across West Africa.
As digital transformation continues to reshape economies and redefine global taxation, WATAF remains committed to working with ACBF and other development partners to equip West African tax administrations with the expertise, practical tools and collaborative frameworks needed to effectively tax the digital economy, safeguard domestic revenues, and accelerate sustainable development and regional economic integration.
