By: Fatou Krubally
The Gambia Revenue Authority (GRA) on Wednesday launched the pilot phase of its Electronic Invoicing System, describing the initiative as a major milestone in modernizing tax administration and strengthening domestic revenue mobilization through digital technology.
Speaking at the launch held at the GRA Board Room, the project’s local manager, Marri Sarr, said the pilot phase follows months of planning, system development, testing and collaboration between the GRA, government institutions and technical partners.
He thanked the businesses selected to participate in the pilot, saying their feedback would be critical in refining the system before its nationwide rollout.
Representing the system developer, Ali Hassan Adegoke of Avatar Worldwide Technologies said the launch marked the beginning of a journey towards a more modern, transparent and efficient tax administration.
He explains that the Electronic Invoicing System enables businesses to issue and manage invoices digitally while securely transmitting transaction data to the GRA in real time. According to him, the platform will improve revenue mobilization while helping businesses simplify tax compliance, improve record management, reduce administrative costs and minimize errors.
Director of Revenue and Tax Policy at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs, Alagie Jallow, says the reform is aimed at strengthening the social contract between citizens and the state through improved domestic revenue mobilization.
He encouraged businesses participating in the pilot to report any challenges encountered during implementation to help improve the system before nationwide deployment. He also called on the media to widely publicize the initiative to increase public awareness.
Officially launching the pilot phase, GRA Commissioner General Yankuba Darboe described the Electronic Invoicing System as one of the most significant milestones in the modernization of tax administration in The Gambia.
“Today’s event is much more than the launch of a new digital platform. It represents another decisive step in our journey towards building a modern, efficient and technology-driven revenue administration,” Darboe said.
He noted that digitalization is no longer optional for modern revenue administrations, adding that the new system is a central pillar of the GRA’s broader digital transformation agenda.
Darboe said electronic invoicing will improve the integrity of commercial transactions while making tax compliance easier, simpler and more predictable. He explained that the system will reduce paperwork, improve record management, minimise human error and lower compliance costs for businesses, while providing the GRA with reliable real-time transaction data to strengthen compliance risk management, reduce tax leakages and improve taxpayer services.