A $5.52 million grant agreement signed in early March between the West African Tax Administration Forum (WATAF) and the African Development Bank Group (AfDB) marks the first time the organization will implement a region-wide tax administration project with the bank’s financing.

The funding will support the Strengthening Tax Administration Capacity Project in West Africa, an initiative targeting persistent weaknesses in how West African states collect, manage, and safeguard domestic revenues, with implementation running until July 2030.

“This marks the first time WATAF is implementing a region-wide tax administration project financed by the African Development Bank Group,” WATAF Executive Secretary Jules Tapsoba said at the signing ceremony.

“It represents a significant milestone for our institution and for West Africa,” he added.

Six countries will be primary beneficiaries, including Burkina Faso, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, The Gambia, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, for which WATAF will serve as the executing agency.

The grant is drawn from the African Development Fund’s Transition Support Facility, according to a statement from the AfDB.

Tapsoba framed the project as the start of something larger. “This partnership opens a new chapter for coordinated tax administration support in West Africa,” he said.

The project will introduce an electronic invoicing toolkit, strengthen transfer pricing tools for extractive sector oversight, and deliver training aligned with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is expected to benefit from the project’s regional platforms and tools and to collaborate with WATAF to provide technical assistance alongside the Nigeria Revenue Service.

“Strengthening tax administration is essential for creating the fiscal space that will enable countries to finance their development priorities,” Abdul B. Kamara said, adding that the project addresses a core development gap.

He stated that the initiative would enhance efficiency and promote governance in both domestic taxation and the extractive sectors.

A Project Implementation Unit within WATAF will lead delivery, with a multi-stakeholder steering committee overseeing progress across beneficiary countries.