Ghana Minister advises African governments to strengthen regional tax cooperation

Dr. Ato Forson, Ghana's Minister of Finance, called upon African governments and regional bodies to enhance tax cooperation to safeguard domestic revenues and address the continent's financing requirements. Addressing the opening of the 8th High-Level Policy Dialogue and 23rd General Assembly of the West African Tax Administration Forum (WATAF) in Accra, the Minister emphasized the need for African countries to assert a stronger position in the international tax framework and coordinate their stances on emerging global tax matters effectively.

Speaking at the event, which was co-hosted by the GRA and WATAF, Dr. Forson highlighted the importance of regional institutions bolstering the capability of member tax administrations to adhere to international tax standards. He stressed the necessity for these institutions to empower African countries to negotiate efficiently and safeguard their legitimate tax bases amidst evolving international tax landscapes.

Issues such as base erosion and profit shifting, digital economy taxation, and the global minimum tax were identified as critical matters of concern for Africa's developmental agenda. Forson pointed out that tax administrations could no longer function as isolated entities due to the increasing cross-border structuring of business operations and rapid capital movements across borders.

Consequently, he urged African tax administrations to establish mechanisms for sharing taxpayer intelligence, recognizing cross-border tax risks, and drawing insights from successful compliance initiatives. He advocated for regional cooperation to serve as a robust tax foundation for African nations, enabling them to collectively address emerging challenges in international taxation.

The Minister also advocated for increased investment in African expertise, urging the continent to diminish excessive reliance on external technical capacities and foster stronger indigenous tax administration capabilities. Additionally, he underscored the importance of revenue mobilization being paired with efforts to combat illicit financial flows, tax evasion, trade under-invoicing, smuggling, and other activities contributing to revenue leakages.

Dr. Forson urged governments and regional bodies to adopt data-driven approaches, digital transformation, cross-border collaboration, and professional development to cultivate more robust, innovative, and sustainable tax administrations capable of financing development initiatives. Anthony Kwasi Sarpong, Commissioner-General of the GRA, stressed the need for African countries to generate their domestic resources fairly, efficiently, and sustainably to tackle development financing challenges.

He noted that West Africa experienced a real GDP growth of 4.8% in 2025, with growth projected at 4.6% for 2026, but the region still grappled with a significant development financing gap. Sarpong urged tax administrations to broaden the tax base, formalize informal economic activities, enhance the management of natural-resource revenues, and strengthen information exchange among jurisdictions.