Addis Ababa’s Revenue Bureau has begun using body-worn cameras for tax enforcement officers in an effort to reduce disputes between taxpayers and staff and to limit misconduct during tax collection activities. The system, which cost more than 100 million birr, has now been fully deployed across the city.

The bureau’s head, Biniyam Mekru, announced the rollout during a press briefing, saying the technology records both audio and video during interactions with taxpayers. The recordings are intended to provide verifiable evidence when complaints arise and to help address concerns about malpractice, theft and unprofessional behaviour reported in recent years.

Biniyam said the project was completed in coordination with the Information Network Security Administration under the city administration’s regular budget. Officers assigned to monitoring and enforcement have already received training to use the equipment.

The Revenue Bureau is working to meet a target of collecting 350 billion birr in the 2018 Ethiopian budget year. According to the bureau, achieving this requires broadening the revenue base, improving service delivery, preventing fraudulent activities and adopting new technological tools to support oversight.

Officials noted that complaint handling has improved following the introduction of the system. For unresolved cases, a dedicated grievance-resolution team has been established under the Office of the Mayor to ensure tax-related disputes are reviewed and settled properly.