How a Nigerian-built tax platform is powering digital revenue reform in DRC

Taiwo Okanlawon

In its first year of deployment, a new digital tax platform processed over 120,000 transactions and reduced reconciliation time by 60 percent in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Citizens and organizations can now file taxes remotely and receive official receipts in real time, marking a significant shift in the country’s approach to public finance.
Where paper-based records and long queues once defined the tax experience, a quiet transformation is underway.

The change is being driven by InstiQ Professional Services, a Nigerian enterprise software company that helps African governments digitize critical public infrastructure. Its solutions span multiple sectors, with tax administration representing one of several flagship implementations across the region.

In collaboration with Access Bank, InstiQ deployed its Enterprise Tax Online Solution to support the daily operations of four of the DRC’s key revenue authorities: the Direction Générale des Douanes et Accises (DGDA), the Direction Générale des Recettes de Kinshasa (DGRK), the Direction Générale des Impôts (DGI), and the Direction Générale des Recettes Administratives, Judiciaires, Domaniales et de Participations (DGRAD). These agencies are responsible for collecting customs duties, internal revenue, and various administrative fees nationwide.

The result is a multilingual digital platform that enables organizations and individuals to register, declare, and settle taxes entirely online. Transactions are validated in real time, and official receipts are generated instantly. What previously took days and required physical visits to tax offices can now be completed in under 10 minutes from any device.
“This marks a major turning point in how public institutions engage with taxpayers,” said a senior DGRK official. “Processing is faster, reconciliation is accurate, and the system enhances transparency at every level.”

The platform has already onboarded more than 5,000 users, including individuals, SMEs, authorized tax agents, and large corporations. To support enterprise users, particularly those managing high-value transactions within government and large institutions, the system includes a robust multi-tiered approval workflow. This incorporates a maker-checker structure in which a designated initiator submits filings that must pass through multiple levels of internal review before payment is authorized. In many cases, three or more reviewers are involved in approving a single transaction, ensuring strict oversight, internal control, and full compliance with institutional procedures.

Since its launch, the platform has expanded in functionality and reach. To enhance accessibility and streamline collections, InstiQ introduced QR code functionality that enables taxpayers to scan and pay instantly. Additionally, the system integrates with partner banks, enabling them to collect and process various government fees for DGI and DGRAD, with payments reflected and reconciled in real-time.

By integrating directly with national banking infrastructure, the system supports real-time payment validation, end-of-day reconciliation, and automated compliance tracking. Revenue accuracy has improved by 40 percent, reducing leakages, fraud, and administrative overhead.

Available in both English and French, the solution accommodates a wide range of user types, from corporate taxpayers and government personnel to third-party processors submitting returns on behalf of clients. It is optimized for accessibility across devices and includes built-in auditability and security features.

What sets the project apart is not just the technology itself but the implementation strategy behind it. InstiQ worked closely with government institutions to adapt the platform to local workflows and legal frameworks. The company also delivered training and long-term support to ensure sustained adoption and policy alignment.

“This initiative reflects our broader mission to help evolve Africa’s public sector with digital systems built by Africans, for Africans,” said Tolulope Davids, CEO of InstiQ Professional Services. “This project proves that African technologists can solve complex public challenges at scale and in ways that reflect local realities and institutional demands.”

The DRC implementation is now drawing interest from additional governments in West and Central Africa that are looking to strengthen tax compliance, improve service delivery, and eliminate manual inefficiencies. InstiQ’s model, developed in Nigeria and tailored to local contexts, is emerging as a reference point for digital public sector modernization across the continent.

The success of this deployment highlights the growing role of African software companies in delivering infrastructure that enables national development. As digital governance accelerates, projects like this illustrate how local innovation is not only transforming revenue systems but also reshaping how governments serve their citizens.