GRA unveils ‘game-changing’ tax reforms for MSMEs, digital economy

The Commissioner-General of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), Anthony Kwasi Sarpong, has announced two major reforms he describes as “game changers” that will transform the nation’s tax administration.

These include the introduction of modified taxation for small businesses and the deployment of digital surveillance tools to monitor online transactions.

Speaking in a media interview, Mr Sarpong explained that while revenue performance in the first half of the year was affected by exchange rate movements, the long-term strategy rests on structural reforms to broaden the tax base and improve compliance.

He noted that duties at the ports, which are largely denominated in dollars, recorded lower cedi values following the appreciation of the local currency.

“Once the exchange rate dropped from 15 to about 10.5, that’s a 30 per cent sharp drop in cedi terms. In just three months, expected inflows fell by about 30 per cent,” he said.

Despite this setback, the Commissioner-General expressed confidence that imports and corporate tax flows would rebound in the second half of the year.

However, he insisted that sustainable revenue growth depends on new measures to capture more businesses and transactions within the tax net.

Modified Taxation for MSMEs

Highlighting the first measure, Mr Sarpong explained that the GRA will roll out a modified taxation system designed to provide clarity and certainty for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

“For example, if you are doing a business and your turnover is 200,000 a year, we are saying just pay 3 per cent of that. That probably works out to 5,000 or 3,000 for the whole year. That is all that you have to pay as a small, medium enterprise,” he explained.

According to Mr Sarpong, more than five million such businesses operate in Ghana, and even if two million are brought into the tax net, the system could generate GHS10 billion annually.

To support compliance, the GRA will introduce a dedicated mobile app that will allow MSMEs to register and pay taxes without leaving their workplaces.

Digital Surveillance of Online Transactions

Turning to the second intervention, Mr Sarpong emphasised that Ghana’s growing digital economy cannot remain outside the tax system. He revealed that before the end of 2025, the GRA will roll out digital surveillance tools to capture online transactions at the point of payment.

“We are introducing a digital technology such that transactions that are taking place online, we have visibility of it. We are able to see the value of transactions taking place, and also importantly, detect the tax component at the point of payment,” he stated.

This, he noted, will cover e-commerce, ride-hailing services such as Uber and Bolt, and other digital platforms, including international companies that trade in Ghana without a physical presence.

Nationwide Tax Education

Alongside these reforms, the GRA will launch a continuous nationwide tax education campaign next month to boost civic awareness.

“We’ve realised that many Ghanaians are still not fully aware of their responsibilities when it comes to contributing a bit of their income for taxation. That is why this campaign will involve not only GRA but also other stakeholders,” Mr Sarpong added.

With modified taxation for MSMEs, digital surveillance of online transactions, and broader civic education, the GRA boss expressed optimism that the nation can build a stronger and fairer tax system capable of supporting long-term economic stability.