It is with genuine pride that we mark the official launch of TaxCore in the Kingdom of Eswatini, the platform’s first full deployment on the African continent. For us, the partnership with the Eswatini Revenue Service (ERS) represents much more than a new contract milestone; it reflects a shared conviction that modern tax administration is one of the most powerful levers for sustainable economic development. As Eswatini implements TaxCore, we begin this journey with strong momentum and a clear sense of purpose.
The foundation of this collaboration is our proven experience and results over years of work in fiscal modernization. DTI has consistently delivered its solution that enhanced transparency and reduced the compliance burden on businesses. Eswatini now stands to become a benchmark that other African nations will have an opportunity to study closely. We approach this project with humility, knowing that lasting success depends on close teamwork, not just good technology. Particular thanks go to ERS leadership, whose bold vision and steady commitment made this kick-off possible.
System implementation will follow a structured, phased approach. At first, the current Inception phase refines the technical blueprint and legal framework. Initial Capacity Building installs the system in a staging environment and trains the first user cohorts. Full Operational Capability activates the complete platform in production. Final Acceptance delivers a fully validated, independently verified solution. Equally important, the focus during each stage remains on practical readiness: secure configuration, seamless integration with existing systems, comprehensive staff training, and documentation that makes the system approachable for tax officers and businesses alike.
Key Takeaways
1. A Continental First: TaxCore’s deployment in Eswatini marks the platform’s first full implementation on the African continent, positioning the country as a potential model for tax modernization across the region.
2. Tamper-Proof by Design: Every transaction is certified at the point of sale through an electronic signature generated by a secure element that operates independently of the business invoicing system. This separation is what makes the system structurally resistant to manipulation..
3. Verification for Everyone: Compliance checks require no specialized knowledge or equipment. Any inspector can verify a document on the spot, while online verification services give both authorities and the general public the ability to authenticate records at any time.
4. Built for a Fair Market: Compliance requirements are fully transparent, allowing any technology supplier to build a compatible solution. Businesses of all sizes and sectors are accommodated, and no single vendor holds a structural advantage.
5. Real Revenue Impact: Eswatini faces a meaningful tax gap rooted in under-declared transactions. Comparable deployments have delivered VAT collection increases of 8% to 48% in targeted sectors. With every sale independently certified at the source, under-reporting becomes structurally difficult rather than merely discouraged.
Eswatini Implements TaxCore: From Years of Vision to Today’s Launch
Interest in modern VAT monitoring and fiscalization in Eswatini has been building for years. Moreover, the Eswatini Revenue Service has shown consistent vision and determination, steadily advancing toward a modern, transparent tax system through careful public procurement. Discussions began back in 2015–2016 and evolved through several formal Expressions of Interest and tender initiatives focused on Electronic Fiscal Devices and broader digital tax monitoring solutions.
Henceforth, this clear and persistent policy direction reached an important milestone with the Request for Proposals issued in May 2025. Data Tech International actively participated in the competitive evaluation process, which included detailed technical assessments and site visits to live TaxCore deployments in other countries. Following this thorough and professional evaluation, DTI was selected as the successful bidder.
Today, that patient journey of preparation turns into reality. We are proud to begin the official implementation and deliver a solution that will bring real benefits to Eswatini.
TaxCore: Closing the Tax Gap in Real Time
At its essence, TaxCore functions as a real-time fiscal monitoring system built on one clear principle: every payment document must contain complete transactional data so the system can verify correct tax calculation and prevent any manipulation. A dedicated secure element, independent of the business invoicing system, achieves this by applying an electronic signature to every transaction at the moment it occurs. The separation of these two components is deliberate and fundamental. It ensures that no single party controls both the business logic and the integrity seal, which is what makes the system genuinely tamper-proof rather than merely compliant on paper.
Generally, this architecture does not impose a one-size-fits-all solution on businesses. The secure element and invoicing system can operate as separate products or as a fully integrated unit, and the system ensures that producing a certified document introduces no delay to normal business operations. Every document clearly identifies its issuer, and in business-to-business transactions, the system equally protects the identity of the purchasing party with an electronic signature, safeguarding both sides of the transaction from any unauthorized modification.
Deployments across Europe and the Pacific have produced consistent results, including higher voluntary compliance, reduced revenue leakage, and meaningful increases in tax collection without any change to tax rates. Eswatini will draw directly on those proven capabilities.
Inspection Without Bureaucracy
One of TaxCore’s defining strengths is how it handles verification. A tax inspector in the field does not need sophisticated technical knowledge or specialized equipment to confirm that a document is authentic. At this point, the integrity of any payment document can be checked immediately and on the spot, making routine compliance verification fast and practical. For deeper audits, authorized personnel follow a unified inspection method that extracts transaction data from the secure element, preferably in encrypted form, through a standardized process that works consistently across all businesses.
Beyond official inspection, verification services are available online and through multiple channels, so that both authorities and members of the public can authenticate documents at any time. The system makes electronic journal records accessible in human-readable form, either through the invoicing system or via a secure data collector, ensuring that transparency extends beyond those with technical expertise.
A Level Playing Field and a Better Experience
TaxCore is also designed with the broader market in mind. Compliance requirements are fully transparent, meaning any technology supplier can build a compatible solution and compete fairly. Furthermore, a wide variety of invoicing system models is supported to accommodate businesses of different sizes, sectors, and operational needs. The system does not favor any particular vendor or create barriers that concentrate the market.
For businesses and citizens, the day-to-day experience is straightforward: payment documents, whether printed or electronic, present tax information clearly and unambiguously to the customer. There is no fine print, no ambiguity about what was charged and why.
Eswatini Implements TaxCore: Why This Matters?
Eswatini currently faces a tax gap driven largely by under-declared transactions. TaxCore addresses this directly. Because the system certifies every sale at the source and signs it independently, it not only discourages under-reporting but makes it structurally difficult. At the same time, the system’s simplicity and accessibility make honest compliance the path of least resistance for businesses that want to operate cleanly.
The numbers from comparable deployments speak for themselves: jurisdictions implementing similar fiscalization platforms have recorded VAT collection increases of between 8% and 48% in targeted sectors, with broader improvements in tax-to-GDP ratios as digital tools widen the base and reduce administrative friction.
Finally, DTI is proud to support Eswatini on this path. We are confident that a successful implementation here will carry weight well beyond the country’s borders, and we intend to earn that outcome every step of the way.
