Experts at a panel discussion at the 14th Pan-African Conference on Illicit Financial Flows and Taxation / HANDOUT
African policymakers, tax experts and civil society leaders have called for stronger tax systems and greater accountability as countries seek to raise more domestic revenue and reduce illicit financial flows.
The call was made in Dakar, Senegal, where the 14th Pan-African Conference on Illicit Financial Flows and Taxation (PAC 2026) opened its substantive programme under the theme “Advancing a Transformative Tax Justice Agenda for Africa.”
The three-day conference is bringing together policymakers, parliamentarians, researchers, civil society organisations and development partners to examine how taxation can support economic transformation, public services and sustainable development.
The opening session focused on the pressure facing African tax systems, including widening inequality, tight government budgets, increasingly mobile capital and rapidly changing business models.
Speaking on behalf of African Tax Administration Forum (ATAF) Executive Secretary Mary Baine, Emmanuel Eze said stronger tax administration was already generating additional revenue for African governments.
ATAF-supported interventions generated $529.71 million (Sh68.8 billion) in additional tax assessments and $228.33 million (Sh29.6 billion) in collections in the first seven months of 2026, he said.
“Taken together, these are not abstract numbers. There are schools, roads, and social protection programmes that our member states can now afford,” said Eze.
He said African countries needed to combine enforcement with greater transparency, improved policy tools and cooperation between tax administrations.
Areas highlighted included transfer pricing, value-added tax compliance on cross-border transactions, withholding taxes and automatic exchange of information.
The discussions come as governments across Africa face pressure to finance development while limiting their dependence on external borrowing and aid.
Gamal Ibrahim of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) said African economies needed to retain a greater share of the wealth generated on the continent.
“Africa’s future must increasingly be financed by the wealth that Africa generates,” Mr Ibrahim said.
He urged participants to strengthen mechanisms for tracking commitments and measuring progress in tackling illicit financial flows and improving tax transparency.
“Let us use this Conference not only to exchange ideas, but to renew our collective resolve, deepen our collaboration and move decisively from dialogue to delivery,” he said.
Tax Justice Network Africa executive director Chenai Mukumba said the debate should extend beyond the technical capacity of tax authorities to broader questions about economic sovereignty.
She challenged participants to examine how African countries manage revenues from natural resources, finance development and engage with international capital.
“How should Africa participate in the global economy? What should happen to wealth generated from natural resources? How should development be financed? What should the relationship with capital be?” said Mukumba.
She said decisions being made by African governments collectively and individually could influence the continent's economic trajectory for decades.
The conference is examining taxation in the context of redistribution, economic transformation, regulation, representation and resilience.
Other issues on the agenda include illicit financial flows, natural resources, debt, inequality, public health and changes to the international tax system.
Participants are also expected to discuss Africa’s role in global tax governance and how countries can strengthen their collective position in international negotiations.
The opening discussions identified three broad priorities: improving the capacity of tax administrations to mobilise domestic resources, strengthening accountability for commitments on illicit financial flows and tax reform, and defining what greater economic sovereignty should mean in practice.
The discussions are expected to culminate in policy proposals aimed at ensuring a larger share of Africa’s economic wealth contributes to public revenues and development.
