Gambia Revenue Authority Collecting Revenue for National Development

The GRA Board and Management have concluded Study Tour at the Zambia Revenue Authority

The Board of Directors of Gambia Revenue Authority, accompanied by select members of Management, successfully concluded a five-day benchmark visit to the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) from February 12th to 16th, 2024. This visit, funded by the IMF ARFITAC WEST 2 Office in Ghana, aimed to gain valuable insights into ZRA's successful digitalization reforms and technology-driven initiatives in revenue collection.

"The opportunity to engage with our counterparts at ZRA provided us with invaluable knowledge and best practices that will undoubtedly enhance our operations at GRA," remarked GRA Board Chairperson, Mrs. Lucy Fye-Jagne. "We look forward to applying the lessons learned from our visit to further strengthen our capabilities and drive the digital reforms within GRA to better serve our esteemed taxpayers."

The visit focused on key areas crucial to GRA's ongoing digital transformation journey, including:

1.  E-tax and e-payment strategies: The team delved into ZRA's successful implementation of electronic tax filing and payment systems, gaining insights into processes, procedures, and best practices.
2. Tax automation system and IT infrastructure: The delegation explored ZRA's automation systems and IT infrastructure, gleaning valuable knowledge for optimizing GRA's own technology backbone.
3. Recruitment strategy for IT staff/development and training: The visit aimed to understand ZRA's approach to attracting and developing skilled IT personnel, a critical aspect for GRA's digitalization efforts.
4. Data warehousing, data management, and data analytics: The team explored ZRA's strategies for data storage, management, and analysis, seeking best practices for leveraging data insights and Artificial Intelligence to improve revenue collection and compliance.
5. Systems interface: The visit explored how ZRA seamlessly integrates different systems, aiming to gain knowledge for optimizing interoperability within GRA's own IT landscape
6. Compliance risk management: The delegation learned from ZRA's strategies for managing compliance risks in a digital environment, essential for ensuring efficient tax collection.

The visit included high-level engagements with the ZRA Board of Directors, the Commissioner General and Management team, and experts driving ZRA's technological transformation. The team also visited the Chirundu One Stop Border Post between Zambia and Zimbabwe and ZRA's Innovation Hub, witnessing firsthand the demonstration of ZRA’s homegrown revenue collection system called TaxOnline and its capabilities.

"This benchmark visit has been incredibly valuable," commented GRA Commissioner General,Yankuba Darboe, at the conclusion of the trip. "We have gained invaluable insights and best practices that will be instrumental in guiding our own digital transformation journey. We are confident that these learnings will empower us to enhance our revenue collection efficiency, improve taxpayer service, and ultimately contribute to the economic development of The Gambia.”

In order to foster cooperation and facilitate technical support between the two tax administrations, the two Commissioners General signed an Memorandum of Understanding to formalize the fraternal relationship between the two revenue administration.