The Minister of Finance, Ambassador Khamis Mussa Omar, has presented Innovation Awards to nine winners in a competition organized by the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) aimed at improving tax services and expanding the tax base.

While presenting the awards, certificates, and prize cheques to the winners on February 25, 2026, the Minister commended TRA for introducing the awards, noting that they will strengthen engagement and collaboration between citizens and the tax authority in matters of tax collection.

The Minister stated that tax collection is the responsibility of every citizen. Therefore, even those who submitted innovative ideas but did not win have contributed to expanding the tax base by recognizing the importance of the initiative.

“I congratulate all participants in these awards, including those whose ideas did not win, because they have shown commitment and acknowledged their responsibility in tax collection. This will help increase voluntary tax compliance,” said Ambassador Khamis.

He called upon other Tanzanians to participate when the submission window reopens so they can contribute ideas that will help strengthen tax collection systems.

Speaking during the award ceremony, the Chairman of the TRA Board of Directors, Mr. Uledi Mussa Abasi, said the awards were introduced to broaden the tax base and bring TRA closer to the public.

He added that the Board of Directors is satisfied with the process used to select the winners and congratulated all those who emerged victorious.

TRA Commissioner General, Mr. Yusuph Juma Mwenda, said the awards will be ongoing. For the 2025/2026 financial year, the submission window for innovative ideas will open on April 1, 2026, and close on June 30, 2026. Guidelines on how to structure and submit innovative ideas will be provided.

He noted that through innovative ideas, TRA will further improve its services and expand the tax base, which will increase tax revenue and ultimately reduce tax rates.

“It is the expectation of taxpayers that as the tax base expands, tax rates will decrease. We share the same expectation, which is why we are making efforts to widen the tax base,” said Commissioner General Mwenda.

The overall winner of the awards was Gabriel Mashenene, who received a cheque of 50 million Tanzanian shillings. Three winners each received 30 million shillings, while five winners each received 20 million shillings.

A total of 5,681 innovative ideas were submitted in the competition. These were shortlisted to 106 ideas, and ultimately nine winning ideas were selected and awarded Innovation Prizes.