The Malawi Revenue Authority has intensified its push for voluntary tax compliance after smashing its April revenue target by collecting K532 billion, beating the projected K510 billion by K22 billion in a strong signal of growing tax enforcement and compliance momentum.
Felix Tambulasi
MRA Commissioner General Felix Tambulasi said the authority is now firmly positioned to surpass its ambitious annual revenue target of K6.2 trillion if the current trajectory continues.
Speaking during a training session for the Association of Business Journalists in Mangochi, Tambulasi delivered a blunt message to taxpayers: voluntary compliance is no longer optional if Malawi is serious about economic recovery, development and reducing dependence on aid.
He stressed that taxes remain the engine that drives government operations, public service delivery and national development.
“You serve as the vital link between the Authority and the taxpayer,” Tambulasi told journalists.
“Through your reporting, you shape public understanding of taxation, influence attitudes towards compliance, and ultimately contribute to the nation’s economic progress.”
Tambulasi said one of the biggest challenges facing tax administration is misinformation, particularly surrounding the Electronic Invoicing System (EIS), which some businesses wrongly portray as a new tax instead of a monitoring and accountability tool.
He warned that tax laws, systems and policies are constantly evolving, making accurate reporting critical in combating confusion, resistance and deliberate misinformation surrounding compliance measures.
The training, organised jointly by MRA and the Association of Business Journalists, brought together business reporters from across the country to sharpen their understanding of taxation issues, including Electronic Invoicing Systems and Rental Income Tax.
ABJ National Coordinator Arthur Chokhotho said journalists must remain informed and technically equipped to interrogate financial data, explain tax reforms and hold institutions accountable.
“The role of business journalists in interpreting essential financial and economic data is a significant contribution to national development,” Chokhotho said.
The K532 billion collection now places added pressure on businesses and individuals still operating outside the tax net, as authorities intensify efforts to widen compliance and tighten revenue leakages in a struggling economy where government’s appetite for domestic revenue has never been greater.
