The Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) has adopted new strategies to reach the government’s revenue collection target of TZS 41.830 trillion for the 2026/2027 financial year, after collecting TZS 37.96 trillion in 2025/2026.
The strategies were developed during a five-day performance review meeting for the 2025/2026 financial year, where TRA evaluated its performance and outlined measures to strengthen revenue mobilisation and taxpayer services.
Closing the meeting, TRA Board of Directors Chairman Uledi Mussa said attaining the target would require staff to maintain a strong relationship between the Authority and taxpayers.
Mussa commended TRA for its performance in revenue collection and service delivery, saying the Authority’s record achievements were a result of effective planning, sound strategies and committed implementation.
He noted that the progress made should motivate employees to intensify efforts towards achieving both institutional and national development goals.
Mussa added that teamwork, professionalism and discipline remain essential in sustaining the Authority’s performance, and that several countries are now studying TRA’s revenue administration systems and best practices.
TRA Commissioner General Yusuph Mwenda said the strategies adopted during the meeting would enable the Authority to achieve and potentially surpass the TZS 41.830 trillion target.
Mwenda stated that during the financial year ending June 2026, TRA collected TZS 37.96 trillion, equivalent to 105% of the target of TZS 36.07 trillion.
The collection translated into an average monthly revenue collection of TZS 3.165 trillion, which will need to rise to TZS 3.480 trillion to meet the new target.
Mwenda explained that this requires an additional TZS 320 billion in monthly collections, noting that the target is achievable through close cooperation between TRA and taxpayers.
Pointing to the scale of expansion since the current administration took office, Mwenda framed the target as a reflection of a growing economy.
“When the sixth phase government assumed office, TRA had the capacity to collect 21tri/- annually. Today, that capacity has nearly doubled to 41.830tri/-. This remarkable growth reflects the expansion of business activities and the country’s economy,” he said.
He added that TRA will continue supporting businesses through its Special Business Facilitation Desk while increasing taxpayer outreach programmes to identify and address challenges affecting compliance.
Mwenda reaffirmed the Authority’s commitment to fairness in tax assessments, saying assessments will accurately reflect taxpayers’ income levels and business circumstances.
He called on TRA leaders to strengthen engagement with taxpayers and respond promptly to their concerns.
“Strong relations with taxpayers are fundamental to improving voluntary compliance and ensuring sustainable government revenue collection,” he said.
Mwenda also commended TRA United Football Club for promoting voluntary tax compliance through public awareness initiatives.
Tanzania Revenue Authority Collection Growth
TRA has posted a run of record collections under the sixth phase government led by President Samia Suluhu Hassan, with the Authority’s annual collection capacity nearly doubling from about TZS 21 trillion to over TZS 40 trillion.
The expansion has been driven by reforms including electronic tax stamps, digital tax administration systems, and expanded VAT and PAYE online tools, alongside a shift toward greater taxpayer facilitation rather than purely enforcement-driven collection.
The Authority has increasingly promoted its reform model internationally, with several African tax administrations studying its systems.
It has also used public engagement tools, including its TRA United football club, as part of a broader strategy to build voluntary compliance rather than relying solely on audits and enforcement.
