This paper looks at the adoption and impacts of two digital tax tools implemented by the Rwandan Revenue Authority (partners in the study): E-tax, an e-filing platform that works on computers and smartphones, and M-declaration, a simpler app-based solution that works on feature phones, targeted to lower-income taxpayers. The paper looks at the following questions: 1) what drives the adoption and usage of e-services for tax compliance; 2) how does this affect compliance costs and the perceived fairness of the tax system; and 3) how has the current COVID-19 crisis affected the uptake of e-services?

Researchers

Fabrizio Santoro

Fabrizio is a Research Fellow at the Institute of Development Studies, and the Research Lead for the second component of the ICTD's DIGITAX Research Programme. His main research interests relate to governance, public finance, and taxation, with a strong focus on impact evaluation methodologies and statistical analysis. He holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Sussex.

Marco Carreras

Marco Carreras is an economist by training and works in development economics, focusing on development banks, agricultural economics, energy and corporate taxation. He is a post-doctoral fellow working on the DIGITAX team in the ICTD.

Adrienne Lees

Adrienne Lees is a Research Officer at the ICTD and a PhD student at the Department of Economics, University of Sussex.

Theonille Mukamana

Theonille Mukamana is a Research and Policy Analyst at the Rwanda Revenue Authority.

Naphtal Hakizimana

Naphtal Hakizimana is a Research and Policy Analyst at the Rwanda Revenue Authority.

Yves Nsengiyumva

Yves Nsengiyumva is a researcher and community engagement specialist working on socio-economic development initiatives in Rwanda. He's a management consultant and also the in-country analyst for Euromonitor International.