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The Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) exceeded its June revenue target by Shs 124 billion, achieving a total of Shs 2.23 trillion. This surplus was driven by strong tax performance across income, goods, services, and international trade. URA’s digital initiatives, including the implementation of TIMS and DMS platforms, have significantly enhanced transparency and revenue collection.

Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) has recorded a surplus of Shs 124 billion, surpassing the Shs 2.1 trillion target set by the Ministry of Finance.

“Total revenue for the month of June amounted to Shs 2,233.73 billion, exceeding the programmed target of Shs 2,181.48 billion,” states the Performance of the Economy Monthly report for July 2024.

“This surplus is largely attributed to strong tax performance, with an additional Shs 124.3 billion collected,” the report notes, further detailing that “Taxes on income, profits, and capital gains registered a surplus of Shs 21.00 billion, while taxes on goods and services recorded a surplus of Shs 2.40 billion. Similarly, international trade taxes exceeded the target by Shs 34 billion.”

URA Commissioner General, John Musinguzi Rujoki, recently highlighted that URA is leveraging technology to enhance its tax revenue collection.

Several technological solutions have been implemented to facilitate taxpayer compliance and interaction with URA. These include the Electronic Receipting and Invoicing System (EFRIS) for e-filing and e-invoicing; the Telecommunications Intelligent Monitoring System (TIMS) and Data Monitoring System (DMS); and Digital Tax Stamping (DTS) for manufacturers, among others.

According to officials, since their introduction in Uganda in 2016 and 2018, respectively, the TIMS/DMS platforms deployed by Global Voice Group (GVG) have significantly improved oversight capabilities and revenue collection, particularly in the telecom sector and emerging industries such as digital transactions, betting, and gaming.

TIMS includes several specialized modules designed to enhance transparency and oversight within the telecom industry.

The “Traffic Monitoring” module provides real-time statistics on both international and national voice traffic, aiding in the validation of taxes, levies, and fees imposed by regulatory bodies.

The Data Monitoring System (DMS) was developed to collect reliable statistics on mobile data services (2G, 3G, 4G, etc.) in a non-intrusive manner, gathering real-time data directly from Telecom Operators in Uganda.

Since its deployment in 2018, the DMS has successfully provided the Government of Uganda (GoU) with clear insights