Poor financial management is typically one of the main causes of a business failing. Poor tax knowledge has been shown to be the most influential factor in determining tax compliance behaviour within an organisation. With this in mind, and knowing that there was a shortage of Tax Consultants here in Namibia, one company decided, ten years ago, to open a Tax Academy and now the PwC Tax Academy has just marked it’s ten-year anniversary.
“The PwC leadership and the [Tax] Academy in specific provided me with a vision and taught me to believe in myself.”
Sharing in the academy’s successes, Nangula Uaandja, PwC Namibia Country Senior Partner says, “This Academy is the first of its kind in Namibia and reaffirms our commitment to Vision 2030 and the development of local Tax professionals. The firm currently has seven candidates enrolled. Since 2007, 18 candidates have completed their training. 
Tax academy participants to date include 95% previously disadvantaged Namibians. Our intakes are graduates with solid academic track records and people who have an appetite for learning and a passion for taxation.”
Harrison Kavikairiua is an example of how this Tax Academy program has assisted Namibian lives. He, after graduating, progressed to become a Manager in the PwC Income Tax compliance team. Harrison is now employed as a Tax Accountant with the Namibian subsidiary of the multinational company, Vivo Energy. According to Harrison, “The PwC leadership and the [Tax] Academy in specific provided me with a vision and taught me to believe in myself.”
Explaining how constant quality development in tax knowledge is a business advantage, Stefan Hugo, Tax leader for PwC Namibia says, “Continuous changes in tax legislation, increasing costs relating to non-compliance and changes in the global tax landscape, emphasises the important role that we believe tax professionals in private sector and government has to play in the economy, to improve tax compliance and ensure tax efficiencies.”
Giving them the cutting edge in producing quality tax professionals, Nelson Lucas, the Tax Academy Program Coordinator and PwC Tax Associate Director explains, “By rotating Academy trainees between our specialist teams, we ensure that they gain knowledge and experience in specialised fields. Extensive on-the-job training and coaching is provided by our senior staff members to the tax academy candidates, training is interactive, practical and tailored to the individual to ensure that the right type of exposure or learning outcome is achieved.”
“Our aim with the program is to develop Namibian tax professionals with a broad base of compliance and consulting skills that can play an active role in our economy.”
“Our aim with the program is to develop Namibian tax professionals with a broad base of compliance and consulting skills that can play an active role in our economy.” Says Stefan Hugo.
Nangula Uaandja goes on to say, “At PwC, our purpose is to solve important problems for the Namibian business community and to build trust in society: it makes us proud to see how our Tax Academy graduates carry this through as tax professionals.”
Find out more about the PwC Tax Academy through their website by clicking here