Abstract

Optimising property tax is beneficial for real estate investors but can also encourage tax avoidance and fraud by economic operators if the state does not put safeguards in place to secure its rights. On the one hand, the state must first control the number of buildings per category and identify the property owners to be taxed. Thanks to digitalisation, tax administrations will change the current approach in favour of modern management tools such as those used in other countries. On the other hand, the state must encourage investors to build more apartment buildings in third- and fourth-tier localities to benefit from the tax relief associated with these properties. These proposed solutions, which are supported by figures from the city of Kinshasa, are used as an example and presented in this article. It highlights that this approach allows the two stakeholders (tax administration and taxpayers) to mutually benefit while effectively reducing the behaviour at fault.