The Ivorian government has adopted a decree creating an online platform to collect own revenues from local authorities and Autonomous Districts. This was a highlight of the Council of Ministers' held November 6, 2019.

The electronic platform will be managed by the Public Treasury and should make it possible to collect the resources via dedicated apps. The measure aims to give a new face and modernize the methods traditionally used to collect revenues. “All taxpayers subject to local taxation and whose economic activity is carried out within the perimeter of the territorial community or the Autonomous District are required to use this platform to pay their tax debts,” the government said.

Let’s note that data from the General Directorate of Taxation (DGI) show that taxes collected from local authorities increased from 107 billion CFA francs ($186 million) in 2012 to 186.600 billion CFA francs ($325 million) in 2017, an increase by 81%.

However, despite the financial autonomy granted to local authorities, particularly districts and communes, they remain heavily dependent on State subsidies to finance their budgets. According to DGI. The share of own resources in the budget forecasts over the last four years averaged 12%.

As at 31 December 2017, the level of recovery of municipalities' own revenue was 47.18%.

André Chadrak