Ms. Jeanette Makgolo, Commissioner General of the Botswana Unified Revenue Service (BURS) issued a clarion call for data protection across Africa’s revenue authorities, declaring taxpayer information the “lifeblood” of modern compliance in an increasingly digital world.
Speaking at the African Tax Administration Forum (ATAF) Annual Meetings in Algiers, Ms. Jeanette Makgolo, Commissioner General of the Botswana Unified Revenue Service (BURS), told delegates that robust safeguards are non-negotiable for any cross-border data-sharing initiative.
“Data is the lifeblood of effective compliance and risk management, especially in today’s digital era,” Makgolo said during the sixth plenary session titled Navigating Constraints of Data Sharing. “As custodians of taxpayer information, we have a duty to protect and manage data responsibly—through strong frameworks grounded in lawfulness, fairness, and transparency.”
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She singled out data minimisation as the cornerstone principle: “Every byte shared must be adequate, relevant, and strictly limited to its intended purpose—no more, no less.”
Makgolo also urged tax authorities to invest in public education to build trust. “When citizens understand that their information is safeguarded and used responsibly,” she concluded, “trust grows—and so does voluntary compliance.”
The five-day ATAF summit, running from November 3 to 7 under the theme Embracing Efficient and Targeted Approaches to Equitable Tax Systems, has drawn revenue leaders from over 40 African nations to tackle digital transformation, illicit financial flows, and inclusive tax policy.
