By Benadeta Mwaura - Reporter
Kenya, September 02, 2026 - A Kenyan-founded technology company is taking its electronic invoicing and tax-compliance technology into the United Arab Emirates, opening a new Dubai office after receiving pre-approval from the UAE Ministry of Finance to operate as an e-invoicing Service Provider.
DigiTax, operated by Namiri Technology, announced the expansion on Wednesday, positioning the move as a major step in its international growth as the UAE prepares for the phased implementation of mandatory electronic invoicing.
The company has already opened an office in Dubai and begun recruiting local staff in sales, account management, customer service, technical support, tax and compliance.
The expansion comes as the UAE accelerates its transition from traditional invoicing to a structured digital system that will electronically exchange and report invoice data.
Under the UAE framework, businesses will use accredited service providers to exchange and validate electronic invoices and transmit relevant tax information to the Federal Tax Authority. The Ministry of Finance says the system is intended to improve digitalisation, efficiency, transparency, security and tax compliance while reducing VAT leakage.
For DigiTax, the opportunity comes from experience accumulated in markets where governments are similarly moving businesses towards digital tax reporting.
Founded in Kenya in 2022 by Caine Wanjau and Thuku wa Thuku, DigiTax provides electronic invoicing technology that connects businesses' invoicing systems with tax authorities' platforms. The company is already licensed in Kenya and Zambia and has been expanding its footprint across Africa.
Kenya Revenue Authority records also list Namiri Technology Limited among approved eTIMS third-party integrators, demonstrating the company's experience within Kenya's electronic tax-invoicing ecosystem.
DigiTax says it has processed more than US$20 billion worth of invoices since 2022 and currently serves thousands of customers globally, ranging from large enterprises to independent businesses.
Its UAE entry comes as the country's e-invoicing framework moves closer to mandatory implementation. The UAE Ministry of Finance says businesses with annual revenues of AED50 million or more are required to implement the system from January 1, 2027, while businesses below that threshold are scheduled to follow from July 1, 2027. Government entities have a separate implementation date of October 1, 2027.
The UAE Ministry of Finance has also been building a competitive market for e-invoicing service providers. In May, the ministry said 32 service providers had already been approved, with additional providers in the final stages of accreditation. It also extended the deadline for larger businesses to appoint a service provider from July 31 to October 30, 2026.
DigiTax's UAE operation is being conducted through Namiri Technology Services L.L.C. The company has been listed as a pre-approved e-invoicing Service Provider but is still undergoing the final accreditation assessment.
That distinction is important. Pre-approval does not amount to final accreditation, with the remaining technical requirements and final approval still required from the UAE Ministry of Finance.
Speaking about the expansion, DigiTax CEO and co-founder Caine Wanjau said the company was looking forward to supporting businesses operating in the UAE's rapidly digitising economy.
“It’s a privilege to launch in the UAE, a country that is deeply admired around the world for its forward-thinking,” Wanjau said. “It is a country that inspires us, especially as it pursues digital transformation.”
He added that the company was looking forward to supporting enterprises and entrepreneurs contributing to the UAE's economic growth.
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DigiTax UAE Director Ahmed Farouk said the company would continue hiring as demand for e-invoicing services grows.
“We have a real advantage for businesses in the UAE because we already have a proven recipe for e-invoicing success built in international markets,” Farouk said.
He identified security, simplicity and customer-focused technology as three elements behind the company's approach.
The company's technology is designed to integrate with existing accounting and enterprise resource planning systems rather than requiring businesses to rebuild their financial infrastructure. DigiTax says it has more than 50 API-ready integrations.
For businesses without sophisticated financial systems, the company also provides a browser-based dashboard designed to support invoicing, visibility and automated reporting.
The UAE Ministry of Finance describes an e-invoice as structured invoice data that is electronically issued, exchanged between supplier and buyer and reported to the Federal Tax Authority. PDFs, Word documents, images, scanned invoices and ordinary emails do not qualify as e-invoices under the UAE system.
The transition therefore represents more than simply replacing paper invoices with digital documents. It creates a connected tax-compliance infrastructure in which invoice information can be validated, transmitted and reported electronically.
For DigiTax, that creates an opportunity to export technology and experience developed in Kenya into another market undergoing a similar shift towards digital tax administration.
The company says it expects to expand into 10 additional international markets during 2026, building on its presence in Africa and the Middle East.
The UAE expansion also comes as the country seeks to deepen the contribution of its digital economy. According to DigiTax, the UAE Digital Economy Strategy 2031 targets an increase in the digital economy's contribution to GDP from 9.7 per cent to 19.4%.
For Kenya's technology sector, the move offers another example of locally developed fintech and tax technology finding opportunities beyond the domestic market.
DigiTax's UAE launch is therefore not only about entering a new market. It also reflects the growing demand for technology capable of sitting between businesses and increasingly digital tax authorities, turning compliance from a back-office obligation into part of the infrastructure through which modern businesses operate.