Addis Ababa Launches Roadside Checks in Tax Evasion Crackdown

A new crackdown on tax evasion is rippling across Ethiopia’s capital, where officials have begun stopping trucks and delivery vehicles to inspect receipts and invoices.

Since last week, officers from the Addis Ababa Revenues Bureau have been setting up surprise checkpoints, targeting freight carriers leaving trading hubs such as Mercato. Drivers are required to show same-day receipts for goods, warehouse delivery notes, or documentation proving the cargo aligns with licensed businesses. Those unable to comply face administrative penalties. 

The push comes as the city leans heavily on tax revenue to finance a record budget. This year’s 350 billion Birr spending plan, up 45% from last year, relies on taxes for nearly 68 percent of funding. More than 70% of the outlay is earmarked for capital projects, visible in the rapid rollout of corridor beautification and infrastructure upgrades across the city.

Officials say the vehicle checks are part of a broader national campaign aimed at tightening compliance and reducing leakage. Alongside on-the-ground enforcement, the government has expanded digital tools: electronic filing is now more widely available, QR codes are mandatory on receipts, and new limits have been placed on cash transactions.

Authorities frame the measures as essential to building a fairer, more transparent tax system. But for traders and drivers, the sudden checkpoints mark another layer of scrutiny in a business climate already under strain.