Speaking at the 30th anniversary of the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) and an awards ceremony recognising top taxpayers in Dar es Salaam on Wednesday, Samia said stronger domestic resource mobilisation would be central to implementing Tanzania's Vision 2050 development strategy.
"I want to see a broader base of patriotic taxpayers who understand their responsibilities, supported by simplified and interconnected revenue collection systems," she said. She also called for greater professionalism, innovation and integrity among tax officials.
The president said she wanted to leave behind "a revenue authority that collects sufficient resources to move the nation closer to self-reliance."
Like many African economies, Tanzania is seeking to reduce reliance on external borrowing and donor financing while expanding public investment in infrastructure, industrialisation and social services. The government has identified stronger domestic revenue collection as a key pillar of its long-term economic strategy.
Samia said taxation should be viewed as a contribution to national development rather than a burden on businesses and citizens. She instructed TRA to reduce taxpayer complaints, simplify compliance procedures, expand taxpayer education and accelerate digitalisation to lower compliance costs, reduce disputes and curb corruption.
She said reforms should encourage voluntary compliance and reflect the country's rapidly changing economy and business environment.
"Paying taxes is not only a legal obligation but also an expression of patriotism and a way of safeguarding our national dignity as we move towards greater self-reliance," she said.
TRA Commissioner General Yusuf Mwenda said the authority's annual revenue collection had risen from 532 billion Tanzanian shillings ($203 million at current exchange rates) in the 1996/97 fiscal year to more than 37.9 trillion shillings ($14.5 billion) in 2025/26, driven by economic growth, administrative reforms and closer cooperation with taxpayers.
Mwenda said TRA had expanded from fewer than 500 employees when it was established in 1996 to more than 8,000 staff nationwide.
He said the authority had launched its seventh corporate plan, which prioritises expanding the taxpayer base, strengthening digital tax systems, improving electronic invoicing, combating smuggling and enhancing international taxation capabilities to support Tanzania's Vision 2050 economic transformation programme.
Finance Minister Khamis Mussa Omar said the country's long-term development goals would require a modern and efficient revenue authority capable of supporting a larger and more sophisticated economy.
At the ceremony, Samia presented awards to 54 taxpayers from various sectors in recognition of tax compliance.
($1 = approximately 2,615 Tanzanian shillings).
Notes to Editors
The event marked the 30th anniversary of the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA), established in 1996 to administer and collect government revenue.
President Samia Suluhu Hassan directed TRA to broaden the tax base, simplify tax administration, accelerate digitalisation and strengthen integrity to improve domestic revenue mobilisation.
The reforms are intended to support implementation of Tanzania Vision 2050, which seeks to transform Tanzania into a high-income, competitive and self-reliant economy.
Media Contact:
Information Services Department and Office of The Chief Government Spokesman
E-mail: maelezotv@gmail.com
Phone: +255 754 750 765; +255 754 698 856; +255 759 714; +255 713 381 904
Availability: EAT, UTC +3