Artificial Intelligence (AI) is already reshaping how governments manage resources, design policies, and deliver services, unlocking new possibilities for smarter governance and fiscal innovation.
The insight was presented during a session on Thursday, day two of the 11th Africa Think Tank Summit in Addis Ababa, where experts and policymakers explored “Harnessing AI and Digital Transformation for Effective Domestic Resource Mobilization.”
In his keynote, Eddie Mandhry, Member of the ACBF Executive Board and Managing Director of the Sports AI Innovation Center, shared how artificial intelligence is reshaping fiscal governance across Africa.
Mandhry emphasized that Africa’s growing digital footprint, from mobile banking to e-commerce, represents a vast, untapped source of intelligence for better decision-making.
“AI is no longer experimental—it’s delivering actionable outcomes. It can help us finance Africa’s future and empower our public institutions to serve citizens better, with ethics and collaboration at the core,” he said.
Mandhry illustrated how AI can move public systems from automation to anticipation, allowing governments to simulate and forecast fiscal outcomes before implementing reforms.
Predictive analytics, he explained, can model citizen behavior, such as how tax changes might affect markets, helping policymakers design fairer, growth-supportive policies.
Several real-world examples underscored AI’s tangible benefits. In Senegal, satellite and drone data have helped detect unregistered properties, tripling property tax revenues.
Armenia’s use of AI-driven taxpayer risk scoring has boosted compliance and productivity, while in Lebanon, automated verification tools have enhanced transparency and reduced tax evasion.
The session also highlighted the broader implications of AI for governance. Experts called for the development of integrated data infrastructure, stronger institutional capacity, and ethical frameworks to guide AI use.
Collaboration with the private sector and academia was seen as essential for creating “transparent and deeply human” tax systems built on innovation and accountability.
The morning session concluded with a lively Fireside Chat moderated by Shimeles Lemma, featuring Louise Kalisa Ingabire, Commissioner for Information Technology and Digital Transformation at the Rwandan Revenue Authority, and Holy Ranaivozanany, Deputy Executive Director of the Africa-Europe Foundation.
The discussion reinforced AI’s transformative potential in building smarter, more responsive fiscal systems capable of powering Africa’s next era of growth.
