By Mohammed Jallow
Africa-Press – Gambia. The Gambia Revenue Authority’s (GRA) recent digital makeover is not merely an institutional upgrade it’s a national asset. Over the past few years the Authority has rolled out systems that modernise customs, taxes and payments, reduce leakages, and improve taxpayer experience. Those gains are now measurable in record revenue inflows and in growing regional recognition of the GRA as a model for digital tax administration. The question for policymakers is simple: how can the government responsibly scale and leverage that success so it becomes a catalyst for broader public-sector modernisation, better service delivery, and stronger, fairer public finances?
1. Treat GRA as a national digital platform not only a revenue body
GRA’s systems (ASYCUDA for customs, a national single window, e-invoicing pilots and tax calculators) are already doing the heavy lifting: they standardise data, speed processes, and create auditable records. Rather than keep these platforms siloed, government should formally designate GRA as a national digital payments and trade data hub that other ministries and agencies can plug into. Doing so turns isolated digital investments into shared infrastructure enabling the Ministries of Finance, Works, Trade, Health and local governments to access consistent, timely data for budgeting, planning and monitoring. This shared-infrastructure approach reduces duplication and accelerates the public sector’s return on digital investments.
2. Use GRA data to improve budgeting, planning and social policy targeting
One of the most underused benefits of modern tax and customs systems is real-time, transaction-level data. Aggregate and anonymised, this data can feed macro-fiscal forecasting models, inform sectoral revenue elasticity estimates, and help the Ministry of Finance design fairer, evidence-based tax measures. On the social side, linking GRA’s VAT and payroll streams (suitably privacy-protected) with social assistance registries would help the state design targeted support for example, temporary VAT relief on essential goods that demonstrably affects low-income households. By institutionalising secure data-sharing protocols and analytical units inside ministries, the GRA’s digital records become tools for smarter governance, not merely receipts for the treasury.
3. Expand public private partnerships around payments and compliance
GRA’s MoUs and partnerships with financial institutions to streamline tax payments show the path forward: the government should encourage more partnerships that improve tax compliance while reducing taxpayer burden. Trusted banks, fintechs and payment service providers can be authorised to integrate with the GRA’s payment rails, making compliance convenient for small traders and remote taxpayers. At the same time, the government must set clear regulatory and cybersecurity standards so that private partners enhance resilience without creating vendor lock-in or privacy risks. The aim is a competitive payments ecosystem that widens the tax base while protecting taxpayer data.
4. Use GRA as the engine for trade facilitation and private sector competitiveness
Customs digitalisation ASYCUDA World and a National Single Window reduces clearance times, unpredictability and corruption risk. These operational improvements directly improve The Gambia’s competitiveness as a trading hub. Government should coordinate across ministries to package customs efficiency with other trade reforms: streamlined permits, calibrated tariffs, and predictable port fees. Use the GRA’s systems to create single-submission processes for importers and exporters; then market the enhanced efficiency to regional traders and logistics firms. Shorter lead times and lower costs will attract investment into warehousing, light manufacturing and value – chain activities that create jobs.
5. Invest in capacity and change management across the public service
Technology alone does not transform institutions people do. The government should fund a sustained capacity-building program: training for customs officers, tax auditors, data scientists in the Ministry of Finance, IT security specialists, and business liaison officers in regional offices. Equally important is change management: standard operating procedures, transparent KPIs, and citizen-facing channels that explain what has changed and why. Donor partners and development banks often fund infrastructure the state must commit to funding the human systems that make the tech deliver results.
6. Embed strong governance, transparency and citizen safeguards
Digital systems increase surveillance capacity; without guardrails they can also increase risk. The government must legislate clear rules on data use, retention, access and independent oversight. Periodic public reporting on collections, refunds, and compliance activity presented in accessible formats will build trust among taxpayers. Transparency is also a growth enabler: private investors and international partners look for predictable, well-governed systems. The GRA’s success will be more sustainable if it is embedded in a strong legal and ethical framework.
7. Scale e-invoicing and digital tax stamps to reduce leakage
E-invoicing and digital tax stamps are proven tools to plug revenue leakages and to automate VAT collection at source. A phased, consultative rollout that begins with large taxpayers and progressively includes SMEs will minimise disruption. The state should combine the rollout with support measures low-cost digital onboarding, simplified filing for microbusinesses, and a clear compliance timeline. The payoff is twofold: higher collections (already visible in recent GRA results) and a simpler compliance burden for honest taxpayers.
8. Promote regional leadership and knowledge export
The Gambia is already hosting study tours and attracting attention from neighbouring revenue authorities. The government should formalise a “digital tax diplomacy” agenda: export GRA’s learning through regional training centers, paid consultancy to neighbors, and hosting technical conferences. This helps recoup costs, builds diplomatic goodwill, and positions The Gambia as a hub for West African digital taxation innovation. Such leadership also draws partnerships that can bring technical assistance and investment back home.
9. Pilot crosscutting use cases: procurement, land registry, and road user charges
Once data exchange works reliably, the same infrastructure can modernise other revenue and administrative systems. For example: integrate procurement systems with tax compliance checks to ensure public contracts go only to compliant suppliers; connect vehicle registration and road-user charges with customs import records to ensure accurate excise and registration fees; and explore a land-registry indexation with transaction histories to speed title searches. Pilots in these areas will show stakeholders and citizens concrete benefits beyond tax collection.
10. Protect inclusivity support informal sector digital transition
Rapid digitisation risks excluding informal traders who lack smartphones or formal bank access. The government should pair mandates (like e-invoicing) with inclusion measures: agent banking, zerorated or simplified digital onboarding for microvendors, community helpdesks, and tax literacy campaigns in local languages. A fair digital transition is both politically sustainable and economically wiser: bringing more firms into the formal economy expands the tax base while improving business prospects for small enterprises.
Conclusion: A pragmatic path to shared prosperity
GRA’s digital transformation is a public good with ripple effects for governance, trade, and development. The policy imperative is clear: the state should treat those digital assets as national infrastructure, not as isolated agency wins. That means formal data-sharing arrangements, investment in human capacity, public–private partnerships with clear safeguards, and inclusive rollout plans that protect the vulnerable. If the Government of The Gambia leverages the GRA in this way, the result will be stronger public finances, more efficient public services, and a business environment that attracts investment and creates jobs.
GRA has proven that, with the right leadership and technology, revenue collection can be modern, transparent and fair. Now the hard but rewarding work begins: turning that success into system-wide modernisation that benefits every Gambian. The prize a fiscally stronger, better-run country is well worth the steady effort.
Selected sources: official GRA news and downloads; coverage of ASYCUDA, single-window and e-invoicing initiatives; recent revenue performance reporting; World Bank digital economy diagnostics that outline the ecosystem implications.
Source: The Standard Newspaper | Gambia
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