FINANCE MINISTER SEEKS STRONGER WEST AFRICAN TAX COOPERATION
Read Time:2 Minute, 15 Second
By: Balogun Ibrahim
The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Taiwo Oyedele, has urged West African countries to strengthen regional cooperation to improve tax administration, boost compliance with ECOWAS tax directives, and enhance domestic revenue generation.
The call was made during a courtesy visit by a delegation from the West African Tax Administration Forum (WATAF), led by its Executive Secretary, Jules Tapsoba Sulio, to the Federal Ministry of Finance headquarters in Abuja.
The development was disclosed in a statement issued on Tuesday by the Minister’s Senior Special Assistant on Communications and Press, Mary-Ann Duke Okon.
The meeting comes as governments across the region intensify efforts to expand their tax base, improve revenue collection, reduce reliance on borrowing, and lessen dependence on volatile commodity revenues. It also highlights ongoing efforts to harmonise tax policies, strengthen institutions, and adopt digital technologies to modernise tax administration.
Welcoming the delegation, Oyedele commended WATAF for its role in strengthening tax systems across West Africa since its establishment in 2011. He, however, challenged the organisation to take a more active role in monitoring member states’ compliance with regional tax agreements.
READ MORE…
FAMILY OF SLAIN OYO TEACHER URGES TINUBU TO RECOVER HIS REMAINS
According to the statement, the minister proposed the development of practical benchmarking tools and performance dashboards to measure compliance with ECOWAS tax directives.
He noted that such tools would promote accountability, encourage peer learning among member states, and raise tax administration standards across the region.
Oyedele also encouraged WATAF to expand its benchmarking initiatives by identifying and promoting successful tax administration models, particularly in digitalisation, taxation of the informal sector, and broader tax policy reforms.
He said sharing best practices among member countries would accelerate reforms and strengthen tax systems across West Africa.
In his remarks, WATAF Executive Secretary Jules Tapsoba Sulio congratulated Oyedele on his appointment and reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to supporting member countries through technical assistance, capacity building, research, digital transformation, and regional collaboration.
Sulio also praised Nigeria for its longstanding financial, institutional, and technical support, describing the country’s contributions as critical to WATAF’s growth and success.
Both parties also explored opportunities to deepen collaboration in areas such as domestic revenue mobilisation, regional tax harmonisation, digital transformation, and capacity development.
Nigeria has in recent years pursued major tax reforms through digitalisation, institutional improvements, and policies aimed at expanding the tax base, improving compliance, and increasing non-oil revenue to support fiscal sustainability and economic growth.
Established in 2011, WATAF promotes cooperation among tax administrations in West Africa through knowledge sharing, research, technical assistance, and institutional capacity building. It works with member states to strengthen tax systems, improve compliance, and support regional economic integration.
Happy
0 %
Sad
0 %
Excited
0 %
Sleepy
0 %
Angry
0 %
Surprise
0 %
0
0