Tax Administration and Compliance

Research Theme

Tax Administration and Compliance

Many of the challenges low-income countries face in mobilising domestic resources are related to tax administration as much as tax policy. Our research on this theme encompasses all aspects of tax administration, from technology adoption, to data management and strategies for collecting revenue from different types of taxpayers. Tax compliance is a key focus, as low-income countries struggle with widespread evasion, corruption, and limited administrative capacity. Our research on compliance includes survey-based studies of taxpayers’ perceptions and attitudes, case studies, and large-scale field experiments.

Tax Administration and Compliance

Led By

Tax Administration and Compliance Library

Working Paper

The Customer is King: Evidence on VAT Compliance in Tanzania

October 2018
Odd-Helge Fjeldstad, Cecilia Kagoma, Ephraim Mdee, Ingrid Hoem Sjursen, Vincent Somville

African Tax Administration Paper

Are There Any Reliable Data on Wages in Low-Income Countries? Observations and Lessons from Ethiopia

September 2018
Andualem T. Mengistu, Giulia Mascagni

Research in Brief

Regulatory Burdens in Tax Administration and Firms’ Compliance Costs in Africa

September 2018
Merima Ali

Partner Publication

African Tax Outlook (ATO) – 2018

September 2018

Research in Brief

Why is Tax Education Important for Compliance?

August 2018
Giulia Mascagni, Fabrizio Santoro

Research in Brief

Can ICTs Increase Tax? Experimental Evidence from Ethiopia

August 2018
Giulia Mascagni, Andualem T. Mengistu, Firew B. Woldeyes

Working Paper

Can ICTs Increase Tax? Experimental Evidence from Ethiopia

July 2018
Giulia Mascagni, Andualem T. Mengistu, Firew B. Woldeyes

Policy Brief

Tax Reform for Low Income Countries: Five Ideas for Simplifying Tax Systems to Fit Local Realities

June 2018
Wilson Prichard

Working Paper

Tax in Development: Towards a Strategic Aid Approach

May 2018
Olav Lundstøl

Book

Taxing Africa: Coercion, Reform and Development

May 2018
Mick Moore, Wilson Prichard, Odd-Helge Fjeldstad

Policy Brief

Linking Beneficial Ownership Transparency to Improved Tax Revenue Collection in Developing Countries

May 2018
Wilson Prichard

Working Paper

Regulatory Burdens in Tax Administration and Firms’ Compliance Costs in Africa

May 2018
Merima Ali

Virtual

19 August 2026 – 11:00

•

Timezone: UTC

This webinar will bring together researchers and practitioners to examine what AI adoption means in practice for African tax administrations and which applications need stronger DPI foundations.

Virtual

15 December 2025 – 15:00

•

Timezone: Europe/London

ICTD Research Fellow Giovanni Occhiali will join a high-level panel during the launch of Tax Justice Network’s ‘Admin Data for Tax Justice’ database.

Virtual

3 September 2025 – 03:30

•

Timezone: UTC

ICTD Research Fellow Mick Moore will be speaking at Arutha’s Debt & Tax Dialogue on fair and efficient tax solutions on 3rd of September.

In person

3 December 2024 – 10:00

•

Timezone: America/New_York

United Nations Headquarters, East 45th Street, New York, NY, USA
The ICTD will be hosting a side event at the Second Preparatory Committee Session of the Financing for Development Conference.

Completed

Mapping Property Tax Compliance in Freetown, Sierra Leone

Start date: 06/09/2022

Completed

Tax Messaging and Compliance Behavior: Does Varying Messaging on Tax Bills Influence Compliance?

Start date: 16/11/2022

Completed

Participatory Budgeting and Tax Compliance in a Weak State: Evidence from Sierra Leone

Start date: 02/11/2022

Completed

Rebuilding the Social Compact: Urban Service Delivery and Property Taxes in Pakistan

Start date: 11/11/2022

Completed

Public Reporting and Property Tax Compliance: A Field Experiment in Kampala, Uganda

Start date: 11/08/2022

Completed

Anatomy of Filing Non-Compliance in VAT Systems

Start date: 01/11/2022

Completed

Perversity in Sri Lanka’s tax administration

Start date: 01/11/2022

Current

Evidence Gap Map on Digital Financial Services: Enablers, Barriers, and Impacts

Start date: 03/01/2022

Completed

The Promise and Limitations of Information Technology for Tax Administration

Start date: 01/06/2018

Completed

Understanding Retail Central Bank Digital Currencies and their Potential for Revenue Authorities

Start date: 01/01/2022

Completed

Inter-Institutional Data Sharing and Cooperation for Better Tax Administration – Evidence from Uganda

Start date: 01/01/2022

Completed

Leveraging DFS and Digital IDs for Improved Tax Collection in the Togo Revenue Authority (OTR)

Start date: 01/01/2022
Alex Kombat
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Research Affiliate
Hannelore Niesten
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Associate Postdoctoral Fellow
Jalia Kangave
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Associate Research Fellow
Lucia Rossel
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Research Affiliate
Mick Moore
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Research Fellow & Publications Editor
Moyo Arewa
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Programme Director, LoGRI
Ronald Waiswa
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Research Affiliate
Samuel Jibao
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Research Affiliate
Wilson Prichard
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Associate Research Fellow, ICTD and Chair, LoGRI

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