Today marks two years since Mrs. Jeneba J. Bangura became Commissioner General of the National Revenue Authority. Her leadership has delivered strong revenue growth; major reforms; and improved public engagement. The Domestic revenue reached NLe 14.560 billion in 2024; this was a 44.2% rise from NLe 10.100 billion in 2023. Tax effort increased by 2.7 percentage points. Compliance also improved; Large Taxpayers filing rose from 79.3% to 83.3%; Medium Taxpayers increased from 54.6% to 66.2%. Corporate and Personal income taxes averaged 79.8% and 78.2%. PAYE reached 67.6%.
The Commissioner General, strengthened collaboration with partners such as the World Bank, IMF, AfDB, HMRC, FCDO, ATAF, EU, UNDP, UNECA and GIZ. Under her leadership, the WATAF 7th High-Level Policy Dialogue and 21st General Assembly. She also enhanced work with MDAs, Audit Service Sierra Leone (ASSL), ACC and border agencies. She led nationwide taxpayer engagements; she carried out broad media campaigns. She was appointed to the UN Committee on International Tax Matters; she became Board Chairperson of the ATAF Women in Tax Network.
The Commissioner General had delivered major reforms. The NRA completed its first data warehouse; it integrated ITAS, ASYCUDA, ECR and NTRS data. She implemented excise tax stamps; fuel marking; and the N-Soft system. She expanded the NTR Mobile Payment App to more agencies; she automated the vehicle circulation levy. She finalized a new financial reconciliation system; she reviewed ITAS–Bank integration. She developed a Compliance Risk Management Framework and a Business Continuity Plan.
Service delivery improved. Four containerized service centres were installed in Freetown. The Audit Charter was published. The 2022 HS Code was implemented in ASYCUDA World; this improved trade processes.
She supervised key research activities; these included block registration, a tax exemption study, a tax base expansion study, technical smuggling work and the Gender Balance Maturity Model (GBMM). She produced the first Data Management Strategy; she published the world’s first GBMM Policy Brief.
She enforced tax reforms in the Finance Acts of 2023, 2024 and 2025; key measures were configured in ITAS and ASYCUDA. Staff welfare improved through salary increases; promotions; departmental strengthening; and reinstatement of the staff medical scheme.
Her two years in office show clear progress; stronger systems; and improved revenue performance.
