BudgIT Ghana to Launch Landmark Research Report on Informal Sector Tax Compliance
BudgIT Ghana, in partnership with the International Budget Partnership (IBP) and the Society for Women in Taxation (SWIT) Ghana, is set to launch a new research report examining tax compliance behaviour among informal sector workers in the Greater Accra Region.
The report, titled “Ghana’s Untapped Economy: Analysis of Tax Compliance Behaviour of Informal Sector Workers in the Greater Accra Region,” will be officially unveiled on Thursday, June 26, 2025, at The Signature in Shiashie, Accra.
Findings from the mixed-methods study shed light on a widening fiscal disconnect between Ghana’s informal sector and the national tax system. According to data from the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), the informal sector accounts for over 70% of Ghana’s workforce but contributes less than 2% to national tax revenue—a disparity that reflects entrenched challenges in policy design, enforcement, and citizen engagement.
Key issues identified in the report include limited tax literacy, coercive enforcement practices that rely more on fear than civic responsibility, gender-based inequities in compliance enforcement, and a general erosion of trust in public financial management institutions.
“This study is a critical step towards evidence-based tax reform,” BudgIT Ghana said in a statement. “By highlighting the lived experiences of informal workers across retail, manufacturing, and services, the report provides actionable recommendations for building a fairer and more inclusive tax ecosystem.”
The report proposes several reforms aimed at strengthening voluntary compliance and improving equity, including tailored education campaigns, gender-sensitive policy approaches, and transparency-enhancing mechanisms to restore trust between taxpayers and the state.
The launch event is expected to bring together key stakeholders from the Ghana Revenue Authority, Ministry of Finance, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs), development partners, civil society organisations, informal sector representatives, academia, and the media.
Commenting on the upcoming launch, a spokesperson from BudgIT Ghana emphasised the importance of stakeholder collaboration in reshaping the country’s fiscal landscape.
“We urge all stakeholders to engage with this research and commit to building a tax system that is development-oriented, transparent, and responsive to the realities of Ghana’s working population,” the spokesperson added.
BudgIT Ghana, a civic-tech organisation, focuses on simplifying public finance through technology and data-driven storytelling. The organisation has consistently championed transparency, accountability, and citizen participation in governance.
The latest research underscores BudgIT Ghana’s ongoing commitment to fiscal justice and inclusive tax policy formulation, with the aim of ensuring that public finance systems align with the needs and contributions of all Ghanaians.
