The Commissioner General of the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA), Mr. Yusuph Juma Mwenda, has announced that TRA has begun initiatives to support business operators by opening trade facilitation desks in all regions and districts to simplify the registration process.

Mr. Mwenda made these remarks on, August 22, 2025, during a meeting of CEOs from various companies in Tanzania organized in collaboration between the Tanzania Private Sector Foundation (TPSF) and TRA, held in Dar es Salaam.

He stated that one of the main goals of establishing Trade Facilitation Desks is to register informal businesses in order to broaden the tax base and reduce tax rates.

He revealed that there is still a significant level of tax evasion in the country, as shown by the contribution of tax revenue to the national GDP being below 15%, a figure lower compared to countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Mr. Mwenda pledged that TRA will continue taking legal action against tax evaders, emphasizing that TRA is not against foreign businesses but is against any business operator who does not comply with tax laws.

Additionally, Commissioner Mwenda reminded operators of online accommodation services (such as Airbnb) to register before September 1st, 2025, and those engaged in other online businesses to register before January 1st, 2026.

On his part, the CEO of TPSF, Mr. Raphaely Maganga, stated that TRA should continue efforts to encourage more business operators to pay taxes voluntarily in order to reduce tax rates.

This meeting, jointly organized by TRA and TPSF, is part of deliberate efforts by the Commissioner General to strengthen good relations and listen to business operators across all sectors and other tax stakeholders to help solve their challenges and enable them to pay taxes willingly.

End.