Digital Reform Boosts Non-Oil Revenue
Since 2020, South Sudan’s Revenue Authority has seen average monthly collections jump from 3 billion to record figures, a rise officials attribute to an integrated digital tax platform linked with commercial banks and mobile operators.
Commissioner General Simon Akuei praised collaboration with the Ministry of ICT, saying the system ‘has injected accountability and shut common leakages,’ allowing salaries to reach civil servants on schedule since 2024.
Partial Uptake Among Key Agencies
Despite headline gains, the Authority reports that the Ministry of Trade, Civil Aviation Authority, National Bureau of Standards and Directorate of Immigration still rely on paper-based workflows that slow cargo clearance and border control.
Akuei urged them to ‘accelerate transition, not tomorrow but today,’ arguing that full coverage would consolidate revenue, deepen transparency and boost investor confidence.
Lessons for Regional Administrations
Several Central African states, including Congo-Brazzaville, have embarked on similar digitization drives, using electronic single windows to cut clearance times and widen the tax base.
Observers say South Sudan’s experience offers a scalable model: start with revenue collection, secure quick wins such as salary stability, then extend platforms to trade and migration services.
Path Ahead for Full E-Government Shift
The SSRA projects that universal adoption could double non-oil revenue by 2027, funding roads, schools and electricity expansion without increasing tax rates.
A presidential task force is expected to audit progress next quarter, while development partners signal readiness to supply infrastructure grants if agencies meet cyber-security benchmarks.