JUBA—South Sudan is planning to hold first annual tax conference to strengthen domestic revenue collection and advance tax reforms as the government seeks to reduce dependence on oil revenues.
The South Sudan Revenue Authority (SSRA) says the proposed conference will bring together government institutions, businesses, taxpayers, and development partners to discuss ways of improving tax administration, widening the revenue base, and increasing compliance with tax laws.
Agrrey Tisa Sabuni, the SSRA’s technical adviser on revenue mobilization, disclosed the plan on Monday, October 12, during a board induction meeting introducing the newly appointed Commissioner General to members of the authority’s board of directors.
Sabuni said approval to proceed with the conference had been granted before President Salva Kiir dissolved the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity on September 22, 2026.
“The blessing, the permission to go ahead with the National Taxation Conference has been granted. This was before the dissolution of the government and was granted by the Vice President, you will find in the authority two very important documents,” Sabuni said.
The proposed conference is expected to provide a platform for reviewing tax policies, identifying administrative challenges and developing recommendations to improve domestic revenue mobilization.
Oil dependence
South Sudan relies heavily on oil revenues to finance government expenditure, leaving public finances vulnerable to fluctuations in global oil prices and disruptions to production and exports.
That dependency on volatile revenue base has made it difficult to generate sufficient non-oil income to fund public services, infrastructure and other development priorities consistently.
Strengthening tax collection is a key part of efforts to diversify government revenue and reduce exposure to shocks affecting the oil sector.
However, expanding non-oil revenue will require an effective tax administration system, clearer regulations, better coordination among tax authorities and improved compliance by businesses and other taxpayers.
South Sudan’s tax system also faces challenges associated with limited administrative capacity, overlapping tax collection responsibilities across levels of government and difficulties in enforcing tax obligations.
The proposed conference is expected to address some of those issues by bringing national, state and county-level tax authorities together to discuss ways to harmonize tax administration, eliminate duplication and clarify responsibilities, officials say.
According to the SSRA, the conference will cover income tax, business profit tax, sales tax, value-added tax (VAT), taxpayer registration, tax filing and payment systems, as well as the digitalization of tax administration.
Participants are also expected to examine tax exemptions and incentives, international taxation, transfer pricing and approaches to mobilizing non-oil revenue.
The discussions are intended to improve public understanding of tax laws and administrative procedures while strengthening the capacity of government institutions, businesses and tax intermediaries.
The revenue collector says the conference would also promote transparency, accountability and trust between tax collectors and taxpayers, with the aim of encouraging voluntary compliance.
Better coordination between different levels of government is another expected outcome, particularly in addressing overlapping levies and improving consistency in the collection of taxes and fees.
Sabuni said the initiative aligns with international practices in revenue administration, including the International Monetary Fund’s Medium-Term Revenue Strategy and principles associated with the Tax Administration Diagnostic Assessment Tool (TADAT).
These frameworks provide approaches for assessing tax administration performance, identifying weaknesses, and developing reforms to improve revenue collection.
The Ministry of Finance and Planning is expected to provide overall oversight of the conference, while the SSRA Commissioner General would lead its organization and implementation.
The proposed gathering is expected to include representatives from government ministries, oversight institutions, the legislature, state governments, administrative areas, the private sector, business associations, development partners, academia, professional bodies and civil society organizations.
The revenue authority has not provided a confirmed date for the conference in the announcement.