The Namibia Revenue Agency (NamRA) is targeting a full digitization of its services within the next four years, as part of a comprehensive strategy to enhance efficiency and reduce the need for taxpayers to physically visit its offices.
NamRA Commissioner Sam Shivute said the agency has developed and adopted a digital transformation strategy that will modernize both its tax administration and customs operations, with the aim of becoming a fully digital and paperless institution.
“We have developed a digital transformation strategy, and our goal is to become digitally savvy,” Shivute told The Brief.
“What does that mean? It means we want most of our systems, whether it is the Integrated Tax Administration System or the Customs System, to be fully integrated.”
The transformation according to Shivute, will also involve system integration with key institutions such as the Business and Intellectual Property Authority (BIPA), the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC), the Bank of Namibia, and commercial banks to ensure seamless connectivity across platforms.
“Ultimately, we envision a future where taxpayers no longer need to visit our offices. They should be able to file their taxes and make inquiries from the comfort of their homes,” said Shivute.
“We aim to go fully digital and paperless. This is achievable, as it has been done before, and we are working closely with the World Bank and our ICT department to make it a reality.”
While the strategy has been approved and some programmes are already underway, Shivute noted that specific implementation timelines are still being finalised in collaboration with the World Bank.
“Our target is for NamRA to be fully digital within four years,” he said.
Shivute stressed that the success of the digital transformation will depend heavily on the readiness and cooperation of partner institutions.
He said some external entities may not yet have the necessary infrastructure or compatible systems, which could affect the pace of implementation.
“Some aspects of integration are beyond our control.If we want to connect with Home Affairs or other institutions, some of them may not have the necessary systems or compatible technology. This is why setting timelines is not as straightforward as it may seem,”Shivute said.
He added that NamRA will undertake advocacy and engagement efforts with stakeholders to assess their institutional readiness and align efforts.
“If, for example, we plan to interface with the FIC within three months, but they lack the necessary infrastructure or resources, enforcing a rigid timeline would be unrealistic,” Shivute said.
The digital overhaul is being supported by the World Bank under its Country Partnership Framework (CPF) for Namibia for the period FY25–FY29. The CPF includes support for NamRA in developing a digital tax ecosystem and advancing a cross-government digital identity platform.
“Preliminary findings of the CCDR indicate that private sector activity is hampered by tax uncertainty and cumbersome tax legislation and practices,” the World Bank report stated.
“An ongoing project to support the newly created Namibia Revenue Agency, NamRA, will aid ongoing efforts to maximize revenue collection, lower taxpayer’s effort, and improve the agency’s efficiency.”
