The West African Tax Administration Forum (WATAF) on Tuesday, August 18, launched the Strengthening Tax Administration Capacity Project in West Africa (STACP-WA).
The project, a release said, is a landmark African Development Bank (AfDB)-financed initiative to strengthen tax administration, improve domestic revenue mobilization, and support more resilient revenue systems in the region.
The project, financed through a UA 4 million African Development Fund/Transition Support Facility Pillar III grant, equivalent to approximately US$5.3 million, will be implemented by WATAF over a four-year period. It will benefit six countries: Burkina Faso, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia and Sierra Leone.
Officially launching the project, WATAF Executive Secretary, Jules Tapsoba, described STACP-WA as a major milestone in the history of the Forum, and the first externally financed multilateral project of this magnitude to be implemented by WATAF.
Tapsoba said, the project directly advances WATAF’s mandate to strengthen tax administration across West Africa, and represents a new phase in the Forum’s contribution to domestic revenue mobilization, institutional resilience, and regional cooperation.
“This project is a milestone for WATAF, and for tax administration in West Africa,” Mr. Tapsoba said. “While six countries will benefit directly from this AfDB-supported intervention, WATAF is already mobilizing to expand its horizon to the wider region through future projects designed around the specific needs of member tax administrations.”
Tapsoba commended the African Development Bank for its strategic partnership, and support, noting that the journey from project conception to launch reflected strong collaboration, shared vision, and commitment to implementation.
He also paid tribute to his predecessor, Babatunde Oladapo, under whose leadership the project idea was initiated, and expressed appreciation to ECOWAS for its longstanding collaboration with WATAF, particularly on VAT harmonization, tax policy coordination and tax expenditure management. Ibrahim Ansu Bangura, Principal Governance Officer at the African Development Bank, who presented the overview, said, the project comes at a time when domestic revenue mobilization has become increasingly central to development financing, resilience and effective governance in West Africa.
According to the presentation, the project will support beneficiary countries to strengthen domestic, trade and extractive-sector tax administration; improve compliance; reduce revenue leakages; and build stronger institutional capacity.
It will also support digital tax tools, VAT and e-invoicing reforms, taxpayer education, gender-responsive tax systems and improved governance of natural resource revenues.
Mr. Bangura noted that the project has three main components: strengthening the efficient administration of domestic and trade taxes; improving natural resource revenues in resource-rich countries; and supporting project management, coordination and institutional capacity development within WATAF Secretariat.
Darlingston Y. Talery, delivered a goodwill message on behalf of the ECOWAS Commission. Mr. Talery is the Acting Director of the Directorate of Customs Union and Taxation.
He congratulated WATAF, and commended the African Development Bank for its major investment in domestic resource mobilization in West Africa.
He said, the project comes at a defining moment, as Member States confront fiscal pressures, rising debt-service obligations and the urgent need to finance infrastructure, human capital, and regional integration. Talery stressed how stronger tax administrations are essential to sustainable development, fiscal sovereignty, and regional cohesion.
The ECOWAS Commission reaffirmed its readiness to support the project through policy coordination, technical collaboration and alignment with regional directives and reforms.
Babatunde Oladapo, immediate past WATAF Executive Secretary, said, he was pleased to see an initiative conceived years earlier come to life.
He paid tribute to all those who contributed to make the project a reality, and called for strong collaboration among WATAF, ECOWAS, the AfDB, and beneficiary countries to ensure successful implementation.
He urged WATAF to draw on its regional pool of tax experts to implement the project effectively, and ensure that it delivers measurable results for beneficiary tax administrations.
Femi Edgal, representing the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS), lauded the initiative, and commended the African Development Bank for its landmark support to tax authorities in the region. Edgal said, the project aligns with WATAF’s vision of building stronger, and more effective tax administrations in West Africa, and expressed hope that it would deliver tangible impact in boosting domestic revenue mobilization in the targeted countries.
He called for stronger teamwork, and collaboration, while acknowledging WATAF’s growing role in shaping tax administration reform across the region.
Dr. Tarila Ebiede, Senior Fragility, and Resilience Officer at the African Development Bank, congratulated WATAF on securing the project, and stressed the need for the next phase to focus on effective implementation. Ebiede said, domestic revenue mobilization is critical to financing development and building resilience, adding that the AfDB is pleased to support WATAF, and beneficiary countries in strengthening the systems required to meet regional development goals.
He emphasized the need for proper implementation, sustainability planning, and strong institutional coordination to ensure that the project achieves its intended outcomes.
The launch of STACP-WA marks a significant step in advancing tax administration reform in West Africa.
By investing in institutional capacity, digital tools, taxpayer education, extractive-sector governance and regional cooperation, the project is expected to help beneficiary countries improve revenue collection, build capacity of tax administrations, strengthen transparency and build more resilient tax systems capable of financing inclusive development.
WATAF said, it will continue mobilizing partnerships for future interventions targeting additional countries, priority areas and specific capacity-development needs across its members countries.
