The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has intensified its efforts to harmonize tax systems across the region, following a week-long mission to Cabo Verde and Guinea-Bissau aimed at monitoring the transposition and implementation of regional tax directives.
From 16 to 23 August 2025, an ECOWAS delegation, led by Salifou Tiemtore, Director of Customs Union and Taxation, and Darlingston Y. Talery, Senior Program Officer for Domestic Taxes, held high-level talks with the finance ministers of both nations, Olavo Avelino Garcia Correia of Cabo Verde and Ilídio Vieira Té of Guinea-Bissau, alongside senior tax officials.
The consultations reviewed progress in aligning national tax frameworks with eight ECOWAS directives and two supplementary acts. These cover key areas including value-added tax (VAT), excise duties, transfer pricing, beneficial ownership transparency and measures to prevent double taxation. Institutional mechanisms to track tax transition processes were also discussed.
In Guinea-Bissau, the mission welcomed the introduction of a VAT regime in January 2025, which has already bolstered public revenue. The establishment of a dedicated unit to prepare the first tax expenditure report for 2024 and 2025 was hailed as a step towards greater transparency and compliance with regional standards.
Cabo Verde was commended for its strong political commitment to fiscal integration, with ongoing reforms at the Ministry of Finance aligning with ECOWAS objectives.
However, challenges remain. The delegation noted persistent obstacles including limited technical and human capacity, financial constraints, political instability in Guinea-Bissau and the need for stronger institutional coordination.
At the conclusion of the mission, ECOWAS, along with both member states, adopted an aide-mémoire outlining the next steps to fully implement the tax directives.
In a press release, ECOWAS reaffirmed its commitment to provide continued technical and financial assistance to support national tax reforms. The bloc emphasised that transparent, harmonised and efficient tax systems are essential for deepening regional integration and ensuring sustainable revenue mobilisation.
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