Taxing High-Net-Worth Individuals: Recommendations from an African Perspective

Abstract

In this article, the author considers how African countries can increase their tax base by taxing “high-net-worth individuals” (HNWIs), a small but growing segment of society that has the potential to contribute to revenue collection but is largely undertaxed. While the article sets out the justifications for African countries to focus on the taxation of HNWIs, it also notes that countries generally face various challenges in taxing HNWIs. To address the challenges, the article refers to some international guidelines that African countries can adopt in order to effectively tax HNWIs. With South Africa being the country on the continent with the highest number of HNWIs, the article focuses on the approach it has taken to tax HNWIs, in the hope that South Africa’s success story can be emulated by other African countries that face challenges in ensuring tax compliance by HNWIs.