In a bid to further improve convenience and efficiency, Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) and Stanbic Bank have launched an e-payment system that will enable taxpayers to pay their taxes using VISA, MasterCard and MTN Mobile money.
The new digital payment solution, now available on the URA website can be accessed using laptops, tablets, phones and other mobile devices by both Stanbic and non Stanbic clients.
Anyone seeking to make make a payment will be required to log onto the URA website, request for a Payment Registration Number (PRN) then complete the payment process using the Stanbic payment tab by entering their Visa /Master card details or MTN mobile money account details.
The bank then debits the card or mobile money wallet, processes and posts the payments into the URA account. URA is notified about the payment and an electronic receipt is sent to the taxpayer. The receipt confirming payment of the tax is presented to URA.
According to URA, the new solution saw over Shs 74 million collected in taxes during the testing phase between December 1 2017 and January 31 2018. Since the launch of similar e-payment tax solutions in March 2017, over Shs 4.5 billion has been collected through these e-payment platforms.
While launching the digital payment solution at the URA headquarters on Monday, Stanbic Bank’s Chief Executive, Patrick Mweheire said that “Mobile money and digital solutions are a fantastic innovation that will simplify the payment and collection of taxes by offering greater convenience”.
Over the years, Stanbic Uganda has upgraded its services including the Stanbic App, which gives customers a single-view platform for interaction with the services offered by the bank.
On his part, the URA Acting Commissioner General, Patrick Mukiibi said that the initiative was another effort to boost compliance among tax payers.
“URA continuously strives for process improvements by putting in place mechanisms that will stimulate compliance by leveraging the appropriate technology to reduce time and cost of doing business,” Mukiibi said.
The solution, he added, will reduce time and unnecessary costs in payment activities, eliminating obstacles to compliance.
This new solution is in addition to already existing tax payment solutions namely Cash, Cheque, POS (Pay Way), Mobile money (MTN), Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) and Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT).
