BUJUMBURA, April 2nd (ABP) – There are few taxpayers who comply with tax regulations compared to those who evade or avoid taxes, according to the President of the Federal Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Burundi, Olivier Suguru, who spoke on Friday 28 March 2025 at a moralising session organised by the President of the Republic of Burundi for economic operators.
According to Mr Suguru, known and registered taxpayers in the formal sector pay a heavy tax, while others work illegally and pay nothing. That hampers the development of the private sector and limits the competitiveness of businesses.
Mr Suguru also pointed out that some taxpayers are involved in tax and customs fraud, especially when it comes to customs declarations, where a single declaration can be used more than five times, adding that that is done with the complicity of OBR agents.
He also revealed that some police officers and administrative officials are also complicit in that kind of fraud, adding that that handicaps the public purse.
He also pointed out that those operators working in fraud discourage those who are working in accordance with the standards, stressing that they always tend to lower the price as if their products were cheaper, when it is because they have not paid all the taxes. Often, operators working legally tend to give up as a result, which also reduces taxes.
In his opinion, if all taxpayers paid tax, no one would feel the burden, because the more taxpayers in order, the lighter the tax burden becomes.
Mr. Suguru therefore recommended that the Burundi Development Agency (ADB) and the Burundi Revenue Office (OBR) identify all taxpayers in all sectors and register them by giving them tax identification numbers (NIF) so that they can pay tax and increase the public treasury.