RDF support government institutions in 12 countries to progress on digitalization. In this month’s newsletter, we will focus on RDF’s impact in Cameroon
In Cameroon, the FUSION project, together with the Direction Générale des Impôts (DGI) and in cooperation with GIZ, has seen another record breaking submission period for Annual Tax Returns.
DSF Submissions hits new records, adding another 11,000 taxpaying SME companies
Through the RDF Systems GOVIN and TAS, taxpayers of small, medium and large scale enterprises can submit their annual tax returns (DSFs) and attain their tax notice of amount owed. The number of submitted declarations has gradually increased since the system was launched in 2019. The deadline for submissions was end of March and a total of 56,971 has been received so far, over 11,000 more than last year (up 25%)
Tax Notices, Penalties, and Payments
The GOVIN system generates the tax notice at the time of submission of a return. This year, new functionality has been added to the system, to also generate a Tax Recovery Notice which includes penalties for late submissions or late payments. This can be monitored in the TAS system, implemented at the DGI, allowing the tax administration closer monitoring of taxpayer compliance
Moreover, extensive collaborative effort has been put on integrating with DGI systems, specifically the platforms used to manage taxpayer payments. APIs are running between GOVIN and various payment systems so that they can have correct information on what a taxpayer owes. Similarly the payment confirmation from two online payment services is automatically reconciled in the TAS tax ledger.
The taxpayer do not need to come to the tax office, and can pay online without going to the bank. This has made collection more efficient and removed human interaction in the process. Companies can now manage their own compliance.
Training and capacity building
Throughout the FUSION project in Cameroon, RDF has provided numerous trainings for all systems that are implemented at the DGI. This year has also focussed on extending the capacity to regional tax centres and offices. RDF provided close support to tax centres in Yaoundé and Douala, as well as providing multiple trainings for trainers, who are working hard at training regional offices across the country.
Systems installed in Cameroon
• GovIn e-service portal, where companies access their electronic forms to submit
• RD Fusion, where data from all tax-related data sources are collated, including the submission online. Includes a risk management module and the new control module
• TAS, the new RDF tax administration system that is under development with tax accounts and integration with payment services. It is an awesome tool of decision making for the taxation services in Cameroon
• ATOM, taxpayer registry with onboarding and automatic TIN generation and taxoffice allocation.
Other RDF highlights
• Rwanda: RDF started a followup-contract with the Rwanda Minerals, Petroleum and Gas Board (RMB) funded by GIZ. The project aims to make improvements in the GIMCS external portal and GIMCS internal (based on the MCAS system). The effort is targeting a list of requirements specified by RMB, to be completed in 3.5 months. The MCAS/GIMCS system will among other things be integrated with the business registry, and allow companies to smoothly manage applications and reporting online.
• Solomon Islands: RDF continued to make progress on the MCAS implementation project at the Ministry of Mines, Energy and Rural Electrification, funded by the World Bank. Our specialist Shalmalee Ghate arriving back in-country in January. Digitization is now almost completed, the the MMERE is preparing a launch of the system at the end of May.
