Tanzania's government has directed all institutions responsible for collecting non-tax revenue to tighten their collection, management and monitoring systems to prevent public funds from being lost through weak oversight or system failures. The directive was issued in Dodoma by Elijah Mwandumbya, Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance, while opening a technical meeting of government entities involved in non-tax revenue collection. The meeting aimed to review revenue collection reports, discuss challenges and develop recommendations to improve how government revenue is managed.
Mwandumbya emphasised that simply increasing fees or identifying new revenue sources would not be enough without fixing the underlying systems that allow money to slip away. "It is important to ensure that every shilling due to the government is channelled through official systems. We must strengthen revenue management and monitoring to prevent the loss of funds that are essential for implementing government plans and delivering services to citizens," he said. The finance ministry official stressed that revenue collection is a shared responsibility requiring the participation of all institutions throughout the process, including revenue estimation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation.
The deputy permanent secretary said revenue enhancement efforts should take into account prevailing economic conditions while maintaining an environment that allows citizens to engage in legitimate economic activities. He urged participants to use the meeting to develop resolutions backed by practical strategies, clearly defined responsibilities and robust mechanisms for tracking implementation and results. "Our goal is not merely to increase revenue, but also to ensure that no funds due to the government are lost because of weaknesses in systems or inadequate oversight. Every institution must fulfil its responsibilities and ensure that agreed resolutions are monitored through to the delivery of results," Mwandumbya said.
According to revenue collection statistics for the 2025/26 financial year, non-tax revenue contributions vary significantly among government institutions, with some accounting for a substantial share of total collections. The move aims to support the financing of social services and development projects across the country. For Tanzanian businesses and citizens, tighter revenue collection systems mean more government funds available for public services, though the focus on closing loopholes may increase scrutiny of payments to state bodies.