BY SIFISO NHLABATSI
EZULWINI– The Eswatini Revenue Service (ERS) has begun rolling out its electronic invoicing system, with businesses in the wholesale and retail sectors becoming the first to adopt the new digital tax administration platform aimed at improving transparency and reducing revenue leakages.
Finance Minister Neal Rijkenberg announced the development during the ERS 4th Annual Client Appreciation Day held at Happy Valley Hotel on Friday, describing the initiative as one of the country’s most significant tax administration reforms.
He revealed that the legal framework supporting the programme is now in place following the gazetting of the Value Added Tax Act (Amendment of Third Schedule) Notice No. 270 of 2026, which provides for electronic fiscal documents. The legislation came into effect on July 3, 2026.
Rijkenberg said the e-invoicing programme would be introduced in phases, starting with the wholesale and retail sectors because of their significant contribution to the country’s economy and national revenue.
He said the sectors support thousands of jobs, facilitate the movement of goods and provide essential products to households across Eswatini.
According to the minister, introducing electronic invoicing will strengthen tax administration by providing greater transparency in business transactions while improving record keeping for both taxpayers and the revenue authority.
He said the system would also provide ERS with improved visibility of commercial transactions, enabling the authority to detect irregularities more efficiently and reduce opportunities for tax evasion.
Rijkenberg noted that the reform would help create a fairer business environment by protecting compliant businesses from unfair competition posed by operators who fail to meet their tax obligations.
He urged businesses that will be affected during the initial phase to begin preparing for implementation by engaging with ERS and participating in training programmes organised by the authority.
“I encourage businesses, particularly those in the wholesale and retail industry, to embrace this technology with the seriousness it deserves. Engage with ERS, attend the training sessions, ask questions, prepare your systems and bring your teams along in the process,” he said.
The minister stressed that digital tax administration was no longer a future concept but a present-day reality that Eswatini must embrace to modernise revenue collection.
He said every business that adopts e-invoicing would be contributing towards building a more transparent, efficient and data-driven tax system capable of supporting the country’s development priorities.
Rijkenberg added that the reform forms part of Government’s broader efforts to modernise tax administration, improve compliance and strengthen the country’s fiscal position.
He said successful implementation of the programme would depend on cooperation between ERS and the business community, with taxpayers expected to actively participate in the transition to the new digital system.
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