The Ministry of Finance and Economic Development of the Republic of Somaliland last week awarded 37 individuals and entities as the country’s best taxpayers for the year 2025 during a high-profile ceremony held in Hargeisa.
The annual Best Taxpayer Award event recognizes businesses, organizations, and government institutions that have fully complied with their tax obligations, aiming to encourage consistent tax payment and support national economic growth.
Director of the Inland Revenue Department Mohamed Osman Aadan emphasized that the selection was not determined by the size of a business or the amount of revenue generated, but strictly by adherence to the established taxpayer selection criteria.
State Minister Mawlid Ismail Abdillahi praised the award recipients, describing tax contributions from the private sector as the backbone of the national budget.
Minister of Finance and Economic Development Abdillahi Hassan Aadan officially opened the ceremony and reiterated the government’s commitment to transparent and fair recognition.
“The taxes we all pay must reach their intended purpose,” the minister stated. “This award is not awarded based on the scale of a business, but on how faithfully taxpayers have followed the tax compliance systems.”
Winners were selected according to standards set by the Inland Revenue Department and grounded in key legislation, including the General Revenue Law No. 72/2025, the Public Finance Management Law No. 75/2016, the Customs Law No. 73/2016, and their respective implementing regulations. Each region was allocated a specific quota of awardees.
Recipients were drawn from three main categories:
- Profit-oriented businesses, including sole proprietors, partnerships, companies, and similar entities;
- Non-governmental and non-profit organizations, such as local NGOs and international agencies;
- Government institutions, including ministries, local governments, and independent public bodies.
The Ministry said the initiative demonstrates its ongoing efforts to promote a culture of voluntary tax compliance and reward responsible fiscal citizenship across all sectors of Somaliland’s economy.