Ghana’s tax system is becoming significantly more reliant on data and stricter enforcement, according to law firm Bentsi-Enchill, Letsa & Ankomah (BELA). This transformation marks a new era in the country's fiscal history, driven by advanced digital capabilities within the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).
This intensified approach stems from the government's efforts to boost domestic revenue mobilisation. These efforts are crucial as Ghana prepares for the planned conclusion of its International Monetary Fund (IMF) financial program in 2026. The GRA's digital expansion, coupled with reforms in Value Added Tax (VAT) administration and transfer pricing, is fundamentally changing how businesses ensure tax compliance.
This shift underscores Ghana's broader economic strategy to maintain gains made under the $3 billion IMF Extended Credit Facility program secured in 2023. That program followed a severe debt and balance-of-payments crisis. The government aims to improve its tax-to-GDP ratio, which stood at about 13.8 percent in 2022. This figure is below the sub-Saharan African average and falls short of what is needed to fund public services sustainably.
BELA's Tax Outlook 2026 report predicts that tax discrepancies will be detected earlier, and scrutiny will be more targeted. It also states that tolerance for informal tax positions will considerably narrow. Mr. Anthony Kwasi Sarpong, Commissioner-General of the Ghana Revenue Authority, oversees these transformative changes. The report suggests that continuous, data-enabled oversight has replaced the old system of managing tax risks through occasional engagements with auditors.
A key element of the new enforcement strategy is the Integrated Tax Administration System (ITAS), which began operations on April 1, 2026. This platform automates taxpayer registration, filing, payment, assessment, and audit functions. It also allows the GRA to cross-reference taxpayer information with data from banks, the Lands Commission, the Office of the Registrar of Companies, and immigration authorities. BELA noted that ITAS greatly improves the GRA’s ability to find inconsistencies and target audits precisely.
The nationwide rollout of Fiscal Electronic Devices (FEDs) also signifies a structural change in VAT enforcement. These devices transmit real-time transaction data from point-of-sale systems directly to the GRA. This reduces opportunities for under-reporting sales and creates a continuous audit trail. The report highlights that for businesses using FEDs, the era of annual VAT audit cycles determining compliance risk is effectively over.
Ghana’s fiscal strategy has elevated tax policy to a central role in economic management. This happened after the country lost access to international capital markets and underwent one of Africa’s largest sovereign debt restructurings. Total tax revenue increased to GHS 153.5 billion in 2025 from GHS 113.4 billion in 2024. However, BELA cautioned that some of this increase reflects inflation-driven growth in nominal tax values, not a lasting expansion of the tax base.
New legislative reforms include a revised VAT regime that took effect in January 2026. These reforms abolished the COVID-19 levy and restructured the VAT calculation framework. They also introduced deductibility for some levies previously treated as business costs. The abolition of the VAT Flat Rate Scheme requires many retailers and wholesalers to adopt the standard VAT system with stricter invoicing and reporting duties. Sectors like mining, oil and gas, telecommunications, financial services, real estate, and import-dependent businesses should expect increased enforcement scrutiny.
The GRA's Transfer Pricing Unit is also stepping up audits. It uses Country-by-Country Reporting data and information exchange agreements to identify multinational companies. These companies sometimes report unusually low profits in Ghana compared to their global operations. The report warns that the tax environment could become even more aggressive if fiscal pressures re-emerge after the IMF program ends. This is especially true if revenue performance weakens or if external shocks affect commodity prices and exchange rate stability. In such a scenario, the tax system could become a tool for short-term revenue extraction rather than long-term economic development. However, BELA suggests a more stable outcome is possible if macroeconomic gains hold and reforms are consistently implemented.