Deloitte, a leading professional services firm, has endorsed the Ghanaian government's domestic revenue mobilisation strategy. The firm states that Ghana is strengthening tax collection through better compliance, improved administration, and digital systems. This approach marks a shift from relying on repeated increases in tax rates.
Deloitte's assessment of the 2026 Mid-Year Budget Review found first-half revenue performance broadly encouraging. Total revenue and grants fell marginally below target, but non-oil tax revenue showed significant improvement. This crucial metric rose from 12.60% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2024 to 13.10% in 2025. This increase occurred even after the government abolished several taxes during the period, indicating a more effective revenue system.
This development aligns with Ghana's broader economic narrative of seeking fiscal consolidation and stability. The country has historically faced challenges with a narrow tax base and a large informal economy. Previous governments often resorted to introducing new taxes or increasing rates on already compliant taxpayers. Deloitte's analysis suggests a structural shift in revenue mobilisation, moving towards a more sustainable model.
Deloitte stated, "Revenue growth appears to be increasingly driven by improved compliance, administrative efficiency and technology-enabled tax collection rather than higher tax rates. This is a positive development for businesses and investors." This statement supports the government's argument that fiscal sustainability can improve without imposing additional tax pressure on households and companies. A compliance-based strategy is generally more supportive of private-sector activity.
The shift towards compliance and administrative reform reduces the risk of higher tax rates discouraging investment. It also lowers business costs and prevents economic activity from moving into the informal sector. This approach can also improve fairness by applying enforcement consistently across all legally required taxpayers. The increase in non-oil tax revenue is particularly significant. It reduces the government's exposure to fluctuations in petroleum production and international oil prices. A more stable domestic tax base allows for more predictable expenditure planning.
Deloitte's analysis highlights the growing importance of digital collection systems, taxpayer identification, and stronger enforcement. Improved monitoring of transactions is also crucial for the state’s revenue performance. These systems help tax authorities identify undeclared income, reduce manual processing, and close gaps in the tax net. This is vital for Ghana, given its historical struggles with revenue leakages.
While Deloitte's assessment was positive, the firm urged the government to continue broadening the tax base. Strengthening taxpayer compliance and sealing leakages across the system remain critical. The sustainability of recent improvements depends on extending reforms beyond existing formal-sector taxpayers. This means capturing economic activity that is currently under-reported or untaxed. This will require better data sharing among public institutions and stronger use of digital payment records. Effective coordination between the Ghana Revenue Authority and other agencies is also essential.
A predictable and fair compliance approach is also necessary. Businesses are more likely to comply when tax rules are clear, assessments are consistent, and disputes are resolved efficiently. Aggressive or inconsistent enforcement could undermine the benefits of administrative reform. Technology will remain central to this strategy. Digital invoicing, electronic filing, automated payment systems, and data analytics can improve visibility over commercial transactions. They can also reduce opportunities for under-declaration and lower compliance costs for taxpayers.