Niger: UNECA supports Niamey to strengthen tax administration and mobilize domestic resources

Niger's tax pressure rate stands at approximately 8.05% of GDP, falling short of the 15% minimum threshold recommended for developing countries and the 20% regional target set by UEMOA, according to a United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) assessment conducted in 2025 and validated in 2026. Launched on September 14, 2026, in Niamey by the Nigerien government through the Ministry of Economy and Finance, a UNECA technical support program led by its Sub-Regional Office for West Africa is training over 30 agents from the General Directorate of Taxes (DGI) from September 14 to 25, 2026, on transfer pricing audit methods. The assessment also estimates the informal sector at 55-65% of GDP, tax expenditures at 49.3% of tax revenues, tax arrears at 225 billion francs CFA, and the recovery rate for tax adjustments at 19.1%. Sama Mamane, Secretary General of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, considered this module "particularly important" for "securing revenues that are currently partly slipping away from our tax administration." Ngone Diop, Director of the UNECA Sub-Regional Office, emphasized that this initiative aims to "protect Niger's tax base, reduce the risk of artificial profit shifting, and ensure fairer taxation." Repère Sankofa — Mobilizing domestic tax resources and controlling transfer pricing...