Africa: Beyond the Price Tag – How VAT Affects Households in the Democratic Republic of Congo
The DRC’s 2020 household survey reveals how VAT shapes everyday life–and fairness. Introduced in 2012, VAT offers stable revenue, yet multiple rates and exemptions mostly benefit higher-income households. Tax expenditures cost about 0.82% of GDP, exceeding social safety net spending. Poor families devote more to taxed essentials: about 41% of their spending faces the 16%…
