Digital business operators have been urged to register with the Tanzania Revenue Authority (Tanzania Revenue Authority) as Tanzania steps up efforts to improve tax compliance in the fast-growing digital economy, where online platforms are increasingly driving trade and services.
The call was made in Dar es Salaam on June 9, 2026, during a stakeholder meeting jointly organised by TRA and the Norwegian Tax Administration (Norwegian Tax Administration), bringing together key players from the financial sector, telecommunications industry, and digital systems governance to explore better ways of tracking and taxing digital transactions.
Speaking during the meeting, TRA Deputy Commissioner for Domestic Taxes, Godwin Barongo, said the discussions were aimed at strengthening systems for monitoring digital businesses and ensuring they are taxed fairly and effectively.
He said digital trade has expanded rapidly across the world, creating new opportunities but also new challenges for revenue authorities, especially in identifying businesses that operate online without physical presence in the country.
Barongo noted that it is now possible for a trader based in another country to sell goods or services in Tanzania through digital platforms without having any office or formal presence locally, making tax enforcement more complex.
He stressed that TRA’s priority is to ensure fairness in the tax system by creating a level playing field between digital and traditional businesses.
“We want to ensure that those operating through digital platforms are taxed in the same way as those with physical business premises. This is important to maintain fairness, healthy competition, and improve revenue collection,” he said.
He added that the meeting also brought together key institutions including the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority), the Bank of Tanzania (Bank of Tanzania), and the Zanzibar Revenue Authority (Zanzibar Revenue Authority), to share experience and strengthen coordination in managing digital economic activities.
According to him, stronger collaboration between institutions is essential in addressing the growing complexity of digital transactions, which often cross borders and require modern tracking systems.
He further said that digital platforms, including e-commerce, online services, transport applications, and content-based income streams, have become a major part of the economy and must be properly integrated into the tax system.
On his part, Manager for Digital Economy, Erick Mabula, called on online business operators to register with TRA to ensure compliance with tax laws and to benefit from formal recognition in the business environment.
He said registration also helps entrepreneurs access financial services more easily and expand their business opportunities within and beyond Tanzania.
Mabula emphasized that the government is not aiming to limit digital innovation, but to ensure that all businesses operate under a fair and transparent system that supports national development.
Stakeholders at the meeting also underscored the need for improved data sharing, stronger digital monitoring systems, and harmonised policies to keep pace with the rapid expansion of the digital economy.
