The head of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, Zacch Adedeji, has urged other African leaders to find their own ways to solve the financial issues on the continent.
This plea was made at the African Tax Administration Forum council meeting in Lagos, which was hosted by FIRS.
ATAF aims to enhance tax systems in Africa through sharing knowledge, building capacity, and actively contributing to the global tax agenda.
This was revealed by the FIRS Chairman's Special Adviser on Media, Dare Adekanmbi, in a statement on Monday.
The International Monetary Fund has observed that policymakers in sub-Saharan Africa are dealing with several financial challenges, including meeting urgent development expenditure needs, managing public debt levels, and improving tax revenue collection.
Adedeji stressed the significance of raising local resources and the necessity for African solutions to African problems.
He mentioned, urging ATAF members to give priority to the forum’s activities and abide by its founding principles.
He underscored the importance of seeking native solutions to Africa’s financial challenges and encouraged ATAF members to prioritize the forum’s activities and depend on African solutions.
“The problem of Africa can only be sincerely solved by Africans. We cannot continue to rely on solutions from platforms that are not indigenous to us.”
The meeting also discussed the upcoming conclusion of ATAF’s Executive Secretary’s term in March 2025.
Adedeji commended Wort’s 16 years of service and emphasized the importance of a smooth transition for the organization’s sustainability.
ATAF’s vice chairman, Edward Kieswetter, highlighted the role of technology and data in modern tax administration.
Notable tax leaders from across Africa attended the meeting and pledged to advance taxation’s role in African governance and state-building.
