Listen to the audio version of this article below.
NRD Companies participated in the 8th High-Level Policy Dialogue of the West African Tax Administration Forum (WATAF), held in Accra, Ghana, from September 15–19, 2026. This marked the third consecutive year of NRD Companies’ participation in and sponsorship of WATAF, reflecting its continued engagement with tax administrations across the region.
Represented by Jūratė Venskevičiūtė-Bučienė, Chief Growth and Strategic Engagement Manager, and Michailas Traubas, Head of Financial Solutions, NRD Companies contributed to discussions on Domestic Revenue Mobilization, digital transformation, and inclusive tax systems.
Marking WATAF’s 15th anniversary, the event brought together tax and customs administrations, policymakers, development partners, businesses, and other stakeholders under the theme “Building Stronger Tax Administrations for Revenue Mobilization and Sustainable Development.” The discussions reflected areas closely aligned with NRD Companies’ experience in modernizing tax administration, strengthening digital infrastructure, and enabling more effective use of data.
Digital transformation and stronger compliance
A key message throughout the conference was that digitalization must go beyond moving existing processes online. Modern tax systems need to provide reliable data, strengthen compliance monitoring, and support better analytical capabilities.
NRD Companies contributed to the Spotlights Session and discussions on strengthening Domestic Revenue Mobilization through partnerships and inclusive tax systems, drawing on experience from working with tax administrations internationally.
The conference also emphasized regional cooperation and information exchange, particularly as economic activity becomes increasingly digital and cross-border.
ZIMRA: turning data into measurable results
One practical example came from NRD Companies’ client, the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA).
Mathias Chinanayi, Head of Technical Services for Domestic Taxes, shared ZIMRA’s experience with digital transformation and data-driven compliance, emphasizing that technologies such as AI depend on sufficient and reliable data.
Through its Fiscalization Data Management System (FDMS) and e-invoicing infrastructure, ZIMRA has built a substantial data foundation. Over the last 2 years, more than 25 000 taxpayers have been registered in the system, while more than 20 000 000 invoices are collected each month.
In H1 2026 alone, 42 audit cases based on FDMS information resulted in more than 2.7 Million USD in additional tax revenue collected.
This data foundation also creates opportunities for more advanced capabilities, including AI-supported detection of tax evasion and fraud.
Led by Project Manager Jeremiah Makumba alongside the ZIMRA management team, the initiative demonstrates how digital tax infrastructure can support stronger compliance and more data-driven tax administration.
What WATAF 2026 Reinforced
WATAF 2026 reinforced an important lesson from NRD Companies’ work with tax administrations: effective modernization depends on reliable data, adaptable systems, and institutional capacity. It also highlighted the importance of designing digital tax systems that can evolve with changing compliance needs, technologies, and cross-border requirements.
We thank the Ghana Revenue Authority, Commissioner-General Anthony K. Sarpong, WATAF Executive Secretary Jules Tapsoba, WATAF Chairman Talato Eliane Djiguemdé-Ouédraogo, and the WATAF organizing committee for creating a strong platform for knowledge exchange across the region.
