African Development Bank Calls for Stronger Domestic Revenue Mobilisation Across Africa

SNN – The African Development Bank Group has urged African governments to strengthen efforts to increase domestic revenue, describing it as essential for long-term development and economic resilience.

The call was made during a high-level ministerial meeting at the 58th Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (COM58), held in Tangier.

Speaking at the event, the Bank’s Chief Economist, Kevin Chika Urama, emphasized that mobilising domestic resources is key to reducing reliance on external funding and strengthening national sovereignty.

“Domestic resource mobilisation is critical to strengthening resilience, reinforcing sovereignty, and delivering essential public services and infrastructure,” he said.

The meeting, hosted by Nadia Fettah, focused on the theme “Mobilising Domestic Resources: A Key Lever for Africa’s Development.” It brought together finance ministers and policymakers from across the continent.

Urama outlined five key pillars needed to improve revenue generation, including:

• Strengthening tax policy and administration
• Simplifying tax systems
• Broadening the tax base
• Diversifying revenue sources
• Reducing illicit financial flows

The Bank revealed that it is currently supporting 31 active programmes across 22 African countries aimed at improving tax collection efficiency and strengthening economic governance.

It also highlighted key initiatives such as the Debt Management Forum for Africa (DeMFA) and the African Debt Managers Initiative Network (ADMIN), which are designed to improve fiscal management and debt sustainability.

Officials said that increasing domestic revenue could unlock hundreds of billions of dollars needed to fund infrastructure, public services, and economic transformation across Africa.

The Bank’s long-term strategy (2024–2033) places domestic resource mobilisation at the center of efforts to drive structural transformation and sustainable development across the continent.