The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) is preparing to introduce a WhatsApp chatbot to streamline tax invoicing for small business owners.
This innovation is aimed at making it easier for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) to comply with tax regulations through an electronic tax invoice management system (eTIMS).
With only a small percentage of registered taxpayers using eTIMS, the chatbot is expected to simplify tax invoicing and improve compliance among businesses that have previously found the system difficult to adopt.
By leveraging WhatsApp, Kenya’s most popular messaging platform, the KRA hopes to engage more users and widen the tax base, particularly in sectors that have been hard to tax.
Additionally, the KRA is planning to integrate new technologies like artificial intelligence to enhance revenue collection.
The authority also aims to track cryptocurrency transactions and will introduce M-PESA Paybills and Till numbers as virtual tax registers by the end of 2024.
This move aligns with the KRA’s broader strategy to embrace digital solutions and boost tax compliance in Kenya’s business sector.