Fifteen years after the establishment of the West African Tax Administration Forum (WATAF), the Forum’s Secretariat has reconnected with its founding Chairperson and initiator, Mrs. Ifueko M. Omoigui Okauru.
The development comes as WATAF prepares to mark a major institutional milestone, and advance a new phase of regional tax administration cooperation in West Africa.
According to a release, a delegation of the WATAF Secretariat, led by Executive Secretary, Jules Tapsoba, on Monday, July 14, paid a courtesy working visit to Mrs. Omoigui Okauru in Abuja, Nigeria.
The team briefed Mrs. Okauru on the Forum’s progress, seek her strategic advice and officially invite her to participate as a panelist at the 8th WATAF High-Level Policy Dialogue.
The dialogue will coincide with WATAF’s 23rd General Assembly, and 15th Anniversary celebrations in Accra, Ghana, in September.
Mrs. Okauru, who initiated WATAF, and served as its founding chairperson, is currently the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Compliance Professionals Plc (CPP) Group.
The visit connected WATAF’s founding vision with its evolving regional mandate, as the Forum intensifies efforts to strengthen tax administrations, deepen peer learning and support improved domestic revenue mobilization across West Africa.
Mr. Tapsoba described the engagement as “strategic ahead of WATAF’s 15th Anniversary, and said, the Secretariat considered it important to return to one of the principal architects of the Forum to present the progress made over the past 15 years and seek her counsel on WATAF’s future direction.
“You started WATAF. You were there from the beginning, and you are still here, and we are here to get your advice on moving WATAF forward in the best way.”
Tapsoba outlined key elements of WATAF’s new Corporate Strategic Plan 2026–2030, and ongoing efforts to revamp and modernize the Secretariat to deliver greater impact for member tax administrations.
He highlighted WATAF’s continuous engagement with partners to expand its work in emerging and strategic areas of taxation, including digital economy taxation, VAT harmonization and tax expenditure reporting.
Mr. Tapsoba said, WATAF has, over the years, expanded its engagement with regional, continental and international institutions, including ECOWAS, UEMOA, the African Union, the African Development Bank and other tax and development partners.
These engagements are geared towards facilitating peer learning, strengthening knowledge and promoting a more united regional voice for improved tax systems.
“We are working to bring more impact to WATAF and its members; that is why we are giving more interest to taxing the digital economy and we are working with ACBF. We are planning a masterclass for Commissioners-General, Directors-General and experts.”
Tapsoba also highlighted WATAF’s relationship with the International Monetary Fund through AFRITAC and the Forum’s implementation of the Tax Administration Diagnostic Assessment Tool (TADAT) project with member tax authorities.
He noted that the initiative has already covered English-speaking member countries, while the French-language phase is being planned for Benin.
WATAF is also continuing its partnership with ECOWAS to strengthen VAT and tax expenditure management in the region and advance tax harmonization and regional integration in support of domestic revenue mobilization.
“We are focused on the main objectives, because we want to make impact, and we are here for your advice.”
Mrs. Okauru, who welcome members of the delegation, expressed joy and appreciation over WATAF’s growth and progress.
She thanked Mr. Tapsoba and the Secretariat for continuing the Forum’s work and keeping its founding vision alive.
“I am very happy to hear from you about how far WATAF has come; the impact you have made. I am happy that WATAF is where it is today. I remain committed to that dream, and you can always get my support. Whenever you need support and advice, don’t hesitate,” she said.
