In the complex world of tax, the role of Dentons’ Africa Tax Group is simple: to serve as an extension of your business. Our value comes from seeing your organization from your perspective, and collaborating with you every step of the way. We have particular expertise in handling transactions across Africa, with our regional tax capability supporting non-African investors and African businesses alike. We provide insightful guidance on tax issues that arise in the course of any business activities you may encounter.

We work with a diversity of clients, including non-African groups acquiring African assets or companies, African companies expanding regionally or restructuring their operations, as well as high-net-worth individuals and governments. As a leading global law firm in Africa, we have operated on the continent for decades and have an established network that spans Arabic, English, French and Portuguese-speaking regions. Our team of practitioners has established deep relationships with local tax authorities and regulators which help us guide you through the political and cultural complexities underlying African tax matters.

Whether working with small start-up operations or major multinational conglomerates, we are able to handle all the tax aspects of business operations and cross-border affairs, including partnerships and other transparent entities, tax-advantaged investing, restructurings, and tax disputes.

Our highly experienced tax lawyers, who collaborate with you directly, are based in our London and Paris offices, even though our African tax practice is cross-border in its outlook and multijurisdictional in its approach. In this way, we combine insightful local knowledge with the right resources and proficiency from across the Firm to bring global best-practice to bear in developing economies.

Tax has a material impact on any business, and scrutiny of taxpayers has never been so intense. This means having a solid global adviser on your team has never been so critical.

Recognition

International Tax Review recognizes Dentons among world's leading tax practices

October 12, 2022

Dentons’ global Tax practice was recognized as a leader across Europe, the UK, the US, Canada, Latin America and Africa in the World Tax and World Transfer Pricing 2023 directories by International Tax Review (ITR). Altogether, ITR granted Dentons 52 individual rankings, including five in the Women in Tax category, recognizing the Firm’s leading women lawyers. 

Insights

Did you Know? Not all not-for-profit organisations are treated as charitable organisations for income tax purposes

April 18, 2024

Tanzania: Not-for-profit organisations such as non-government organisations (NGOs) are not automatically exempted from corporate income tax. In order to obtain tax relief, an NGO is required to obtain charitable status from the Commissioner General of the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) so that it is treated as a charitable organisation for income tax purposes. Without the charitable status, a not-for-profit organisation is treated under the normal income tax rules applicable to other corporations.

The VAT quagmire:
An analysis of the decision of the Port-Harcourt Division of the Federal High Court of Nigeria

April 1, 2022

Nigeria: Value Added Tax (“VAT”) is a major source of income for the Federal Government of Nigeria (“FGN”). In 2020, the FGN generated N1.54trillion from VAT alone.

A win for our client as High Court invalidates Value Added Tax Regulations, 2017

February 17, 2022

Kenya: The High Court has delivered its judgment in Income Tax Appeal No E84 of 2020: Commissioner of Domestic Taxes v W. E. C. Lines (K) Limited where Dentons Hamilton Harrison & Mathews represented the taxpayer. The Court invalidated the Value Added Tax Regulations, 2017 (VAT Regulations, 2017), upholding the taxpayer’s position that agency services provided by a Kenyan-resident shipping agent to its non-resident principal shipping line were services exported out of Kenya for Value Added Tax (VAT) purposes.

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News and Events

Recent Press Releases

International Tax Review recognizes Dentons among world's leading tax practices

October 12, 2022

Dentons’ global Tax practice was recognized as a leader across Europe, the UK, the US, Canada, Latin America and Africa in the World Tax and World Transfer Pricing 2023 directories by International Tax Review (ITR). Altogether, ITR granted Dentons 52 individual rankings, including five in the Women in Tax category, recognizing the Firm’s leading women lawyers. 

Dentons advises FSDAi on investment in Lendable MSME Fintech Credit Fund

October 20, 2021

Global law firm Dentons advised FSD Africa Investments (FSDAi), the investment arm of the UK aid-funded financial inclusion organization FSD Africa, on its investment in Lendable MSME Fintech Credit Fund (Lendable Fund), a Luxembourg Reserved Alternative Investment Fund (RAIF).