WATAF, ACBF bost capacity building for digital tax administration

The West African Tax Administration Forum (WATAF) and the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF) have reaffirmed a partnership to strengthen the capacity of tax and customs administrations across West Africa to address the challenges of taxing the fast-growing digital economy.

The commitment was reaffirmed during a meeting between ACBF executives and the WATAF Secretariat in Abuja on 26 June as the two organisations advanced preparations for the second phase of the Regional Executive and Technical Master Class on the Taxation of the Digital Economy.

The initiative is part of a Memorandum of Cooperation signed in September 2025 to enhance institutional capacity and technical expertise in digital taxation across the region.

The first phase of the master class, held virtually in February 2026, drew more than 170 participants, including heads and deputy heads of tax administrations, tax policy directors, VAT specialists, international tax experts, ICT directors and officials from Large Taxpayer Offices across West Africa.

The second phase, scheduled later this year, will bring participants together for in-person technical training aimed at helping tax officials address the complexities of taxing digital business models.

WATAF said it had organised 26 regional training programmes between 2024 and June 2026, benefiting nearly 2,000 tax officials and strengthening the technical capacity of member tax administrations to improve domestic revenue mobilisation.

ACBF Director of Programmes and Impact Abdrahamane Dicko said the two organisations shared a commitment to capacity building and institutional strengthening.

“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 administrations across West Africa,” Dicko said.

He said stronger monitoring and evaluation systems were needed to measure the long-term impact of training programmes beyond participation numbers.

“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.

Peguewinde Rudolphe Bance, ACBF’s Head of Economic and Social Governance and head of the foundation’s Nairobi office, said the partners were finalising arrangements for the second phase of the master class, which would focus on practical skills for taxing the digital economy.

WATAF Executive Secretary Jules Tapsoba thanked ACBF for its support and said strengthening the expertise of member tax administrations remained central to the forum’s mandate.

“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,” Tapsoba said.

He said the Digital Economy Master Class was one of WATAF’s flagship initiatives endorsed during its 2025 General Assembly in Freetown, Sierra Leone, and that the forum would continue working with ACBF and other partners to expand expertise in digital taxation, VAT administration, international taxation and other areas aimed at boosting domestic revenue mobilisation.