Zambia’s tax authority, ZRA, recruits artistes to drive tax compliance, awareness

Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) has engaged artistes to create awareness on tax matters aimed at boosting compliance levels in the industry.

The objective of the engagement workshop was to create tax awareness on the taxation of the arts industry in Zambia.

ZRA Commissioner General, Dingani Banda, said they would endeavour to build stronger taxpayer relations based on timely and regular tax knowledge sharing.

Speaking in Lusaka on Thursday, Banda said this was key as having well informed stakeholders gives the Authority a leap towards enhancing compliance.

“This engagement is aimed at curbing low compliance levels in the sector, in the past, artists have earned income in various activities without paying the required taxes to the government due to tax knowledge gaps,” Banda said.

“We are hopeful that this engagement will be an eye opener on how we can work together in understanding the various tax incentives and taxes applicable to all categories in the arts industry.”

He said this would be a good platform for us to get feedback from you, as our valued stakeholders.

Banda called for enhanced collaboration, which was vital for the success of the initiative.

“Value your support and look forward to working with you on many other initiatives that ZRA is implementing aimed at encouraging voluntary compliance by stakeholders,” he said.

Banda observed that the arts sector was becoming an economic force in the country.

He said this called for collaborations on the road to formalization adding that the information session would provide the artists with the power to make positive decisions that would be mutually beneficial to them and to the economy.

At the same event, Sports and Arts Minister, Elvis Nkandu, said the partnership between ZRA and the arts sector was designed to create a tax regime that will build the creative economy.

“Government has a framework that provides access to contracts for the supply of goods and services for companies that are meeting various requirements,” Nkandu said.

The information session brought together agencies such as the National Arts Council, the Patents and Companies Registration Agency (PACRA) and the National Pensions Scheme Authority (NAPSA), among others.

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