By Amos Harris
The West African Tax Administration Forum (WATAF) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening tax administration, domestic revenue mobilization, and regional economic integration across West Africa. The renewed commitment followed a high-level meeting held on Tuesday, May 20, 2026, at the ECOWAS New Headquarters in Abuja, Nigeria, where WATAF Executive Secretary, Mr. Jules Tapsoba, paid an official working and courtesy visit to ECOWAS Commission President, Dr. Omar Alieu Touray. The engagement brought together senior officials from both institutions, including representatives of the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS), which hosts the WATAF Secretariat.
During the meeting, Mr. Tapsoba praised ECOWAS for its continued support to WATAF since the organization’s establishment in 2011, while calling for deeper cooperation to address growing tax and revenue challenges confronting the region. He described WATAF as a major regional technical institution on taxation and revenue administration, representing 16 West African nations across English-speaking, French-speaking, and Portuguese-speaking member states. According to him, stronger collaboration between ECOWAS and WATAF will help improve domestic revenue collection, modernize tax administration systems, and strengthen economic development efforts across the subregion.
Mr. Tapsoba stated that the Forum is ready to strengthen its partnership with ECOWAS to support tax and customs administrations, increase domestic revenue mobilization, and boost overall development across West Africa. The WATAF Executive Secretary stressed the critical need for stronger institutional cooperation in areas such as tax harmonization, digitalization of tax systems, combating illicit financial flows, transfer pricing, and tax expenditure reporting. He also urged ECOWAS and regional partners to provide increased technical and financial support to expand WATAF’s capacity-building initiatives across West Africa.
To ensure sustained collaboration and stronger operational support, Mr. Tapsoba requested that the current annual technical support Memorandum of Understanding between ECOWAS and WATAF be upgraded to a three-year framework. The WATAF delegation also highlighted ongoing partnerships involving the African Development Bank (AfDB), coordinated through ECOWAS, aimed at improving tax administration systems and strengthening domestic revenue mobilization in member states. Furthermore, Mr. Tapsoba disclosed that WATAF is seeking broader engagement with additional international financial institutions, including Afreximbank, to enhance regional tax reforms and technical support programs. As part of efforts to expand WATAF’s international presence, the Executive Secretary appealed for ECOWAS support to strengthen the Forum’s representation at the United Nations and other global institutions involved in international taxation matters.
In recognition of his leadership, Mr. Tapsoba presented a special plaque to ECOWAS Commission President Dr. Omar Alieu Touray for his unwavering commitment to regional integration and economic development in West Africa. Speaking on behalf of the Nigeria Revenue Service, Mr. Shettima Tamadi reaffirmed the institution’s support to WATAF, noting that the Forum continues to play a critical role in strengthening tax and customs administrations across the region. Additionally, Mr. Kehinde Kajemoso, Chairperson of WATAF’s Committee on International Tax Matters, described WATAF as a united regional voice on global taxation issues affecting West African countries.
In response, ECOWAS Commission President Dr. Omar Alieu Touray commended WATAF for its immense contribution to improving tax and customs systems across West Africa, noting that increased revenue collection directly correlates to accelerated development in the region. He emphasized that ECOWAS member states continue to depend on stronger tax and customs administrations to drive sustainable development, improve public services, and support regional integration efforts. Dr. Touray assured the WATAF delegation of ECOWAS’ continued technical and institutional support, while pledging to advocate for increased regional funding to strengthen the Forum’s operational capacity.
Declaring ECOWAS’ full support, the Commission President encouraged WATAF to continue close collaboration with the ECOWAS Directorate of Customs Union and Taxation. He also pledged ECOWAS support for activities marking WATAF’s 15th Anniversary celebration scheduled for September 2026 and called for additional technical engagements between both institutions to improve coordination and avoid any duplication of activities. Meanwhile, Acting Director of the ECOWAS Directorate of Customs Union and Taxation, Mr. Darlingston Y. Talery, praised the growing relationship between WATAF and his Directorate in advancing tax policy coordination and customs cooperation across West Africa.
Both institutions concluded the high-level meeting by reaffirming their shared determination to strengthen domestic revenue mobilization, modernize tax systems, combat illicit financial flows, and support the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to enhance regional trade and economic growth. This pivotal meeting comes at a time when many West African countries are facing increasing pressure to improve domestic revenue generation amid complex economic challenges, declining external support, and growing development demands across the region.
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