Online Reporter
Prosper Ndlovu,[email protected]
SCALING up domestic resource mobilisation and halting Africa’s dependence on aid are under spotlight at African Tax Research Network (ATRN) 10th Annual Congress in Cape Town, South Africa, where global tax experts and academics are gathered to mark a decade of Africa-driven tax scholarship and dialogue.
The congress runs from 16–18 September 2025 under the theme “Contemporary Taxation Issues in Africa: Shaping the Continent’s Fiscal Space — Past, Present and Future.”
Over the past 10 years, ATRN has grown into Africa’s premier platform for connecting research to practice.
This year’s congress highlights how evidence-based ideas are being translated into concrete policy tools that strengthen domestic resource mobilisation, improve tax collection, and help reduce inequality across the continent.
Speaking at the event Professor Edward Kieswetter, who chairs the African Tax Administration Forum (ATAF) Council and is Commissioner of the South African Revenue Service (SARS), stressed the urgency of mobilising Africa’s own resources.
“Africa needs more trade and not aid. To invest in this, Africa must unlock its own potential,” he stated.
“It must mobilise its own domestic revenue. ATRN has evolved from a beacon of hope into an engine for homegrown solutions that improve tax collection and help tackle inequality.”
In her opening remarks, African Tax Administration Forum (ATAF) executive secretary, Ms Mary Baine reflected on the journey of ATRN from an idea to a living knowledge base.
“With a record of 153 paper submissions this year and the African Multidisciplinary Tax Journal now SCOPUS-accredited, ATRN has proven that Africa’s tax scholarship not only meets international standards but also shapes policy at home and abroad,” said Ms Baine.
Looking back on ATRN’s impact, Prof Annet Oguttu, chairperson of the ATRN Advisory Board and Professor of Tax Law at the University of Pretoria, said the transformative role the network has played in African scholarship was commendable. “From PhD scholarships to career-defining opportunities, ATRN has changed lives. Scholars across Africa testify that presenting at ATRN and publishing in the AMTJ opened doors, shaped reforms, and built lasting networks. This is ATAF’s impact in action,” she affirmed.
The congress further announced that the Call for Papers for the 2026 ATRN Congress is now open, inviting scholars and practitioners to contribute to the next chapter of Africa’s tax research journey.
Last year, the ATRN Congress was hosted by the Botswana Unified Revenue Service (BURS) in Gaborone, and the move to Cape Town underscores the network’s continued growth and reach across the continent.
As ATRN celebrates its 10th anniversary, the Cape Town Congress is both a celebration of achievements and a commitment to deepening Africa’s voice in shaping fair, effective, and sustainable tax systems for the future.
