The Commissioner General of the National Revenue Authority (NRA), Mrs Jeneba J. Bangura, joined other government officials in a high-profile panel discussion at the launch of the “Sierra Leone Economic Update” organized by the World Bank on Thursday, October 10, 2024. The audience included government Ministers and other policy-makers, diplomatic and donor communities.
In her opening remarks, Mrs Bangura highlighted the instrumental role of tax policy reforms in improving revenue. She stressed that improving compliance in all sectors is essential to achieve sustainable economic growth and cushion the country’s debt load. “Compliance improvement is at the forefront of our revenue mobilization efforts and will continue to be our focus in 2025”, she emphasized. The Commissioner-General expressed commitment to addressing the critical steps being implemented to close the tax compliance gap and fully operationalize the tax policies introduced in the Finance Acts of 2023 and 2024.
To support this, the NRA will continue to implement a series of measures, including strengthening digital infrastructure and reinforcing the use of a digital tax filing system (ITAS) to streamline the reporting process and reduce opportunities for tax evasion. “These measures will make it easier for individuals and businesses to comply with tax policies” recounted the Commissioner-General. Mrs Bangura emphasized that stakeholder engagement and public awareness campaigns are necessary steps being undertaken to reinforce and increase voluntary compliance.
She stressed the importance of collaborating with civil society and business associations. She committed to simplifying complex tax laws, policies and regulations to canvass and encourage voluntary participation. “We are dedicated to closing compliance gaps and fully implementing the 2023 and 2024 Finance Acts to strengthen our economy and ensure fair taxation, and together we can build a more prosperous Sierra Leone”, she concluded.
