Africa’s Tax Systems Face Scrutiny Over Gender Inequality

The African Development Bank and the African Tax Administration Forum (ATAF) hosted the discussion on September 7 to address the disconnect between rigid tax structures and the daily realities of female entrepreneurs. Because informal work accounts for 86 percent of employment continent-wide, the administrative burden of market levies and presumptive taxes often falls disproportionately on women. Participants scrutinized how these procedures influence business formalization and whether current frameworks stifle economic participation rather than supporting it.

Dr. Jemimah Njuki, Director of the Bank’s Gender, Women and Civil Society Department, urged officials to prioritize lived experience over written policy, arguing that domestic resource mobilization succeeds only when it reflects the actual conditions of the workforce. Caroline Mutayabarwa of ATAF echoed this, framing the reform as a necessity for national fairness rather than a mere procedural tweak. The debate also highlighted a persistent internal imbalance: women occupied only 27 percent of executive roles in African tax administrations as of 2022. By integrating gender-responsive policies into macroeconomic planning, the organizers aim to shift the institutional culture, ensuring that those who fund public services have a meaningful seat at the table where tax rules are written.