ATAF, World Bank Launch Africa Tax Data System
By Patience Ikpeme
The African Tax Administration Forum (ATAF), in collaboration with the World Bank and the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA), has kicked off a joint project to develop a simplified and secure digital system that will enable African countries to automatically share tax information.
The new IT platform will allow countries to exchange data securely, maintain privacy, and integrate with their existing tax systems. It is expected to improve how tax authorities use shared information to identify risks, tackle tax evasion, and boost revenue collection.
“Our goal is not just to enable information exchange, but to empower countries to use that information to stop illicit financial flows and enhance domestic revenue mobilisation,” said ATAF Executive Secretary, Logan Wort. “This project shows our commitment to strengthening African tax systems through digital transformation.”
ZRA Commissioner General, Dingani Banda, described the project as a milestone for tax transparency across the continent.
“This marks a major step forward in using technology to build fairer, more efficient tax systems. It supports our efforts in Zambia and across Africa to collect more revenue and ensure everyone contributes their fair share,” he said.
At present, only six African countries have systems that meet international standards for Automatic Exchange of Information (AEOI). With growing demand for affordable, region-specific IT solutions, this project aims to help more countries build or upgrade their systems.
The initiative builds on ATAF’s AEOI IT Infrastructure Toolkit, published in 2024, which provides guidance for countries developing their own systems. Over the next six months, the project team will use that toolkit to build a practical, user-friendly platform that supports the global Common Reporting Standard (CRS), with the potential to expand to other data-sharing frameworks in future.
This digital solution is part of ATAF’s broader agenda to strengthen tax transparency and fight illicit financial flows across Africa, helping countries better mobilize their own resources for sustainable development.
