About TaxIQ Africa
and tax controversy advisory platform
Our unique proposition
and how we work
We are a Specialist Transfer Pricing technical support for law firms, advisory firms and multinational groups navigating complex cross-border transactions across African markets.
TaxIQ Africa supports law firms, advisory firms, multinational groups, private equity-backed businesses and in-house tax teams navigating complex transfer pricing, restructuring and tax controversy matters across African markets, particularly in the context of evolving BEPS-aligned enforcement and regulatory environments.
TaxIQ Africa's Speciality
TaxIQ Africa is a specialist African transfer pricing, restructuring and tax controversy advisory platform.
We support clients and firms on matters where commercial reality, legal structure, operational substance, and tax authority scrutiny must align.Our work is focused on complex, high-value matters that require more than routine compliance support.
The Specialist’s Specialist
TaxIQ Africa is a premier technical boutique operating at the high-stakes intersection of Legal Advocacy and Quantitative Tax Rigor. We are not a generalist firm; we are a specialized technical engine designed to support law firms, advisory practices, and in-house tax teams managing complex cross-border mandates.
We provide the technical gravity required for defensible tax positions in Africa’s most challenging regulatory environments. By fusing legal precision with deep accounting expertise, we ensure that every structure, policy, and dispute strategy is built on a foundation of "Compliance-by-Design."
We support clients and firms on matters where
- Commercial reality
- Legal structure
- Operational substance
- and tax authority scrutiny must align
THE TaxIQ MODEL
Structured, Coordinated, Flexible
We operate through a unique, light-footprint model that prioritizes agility and specialized knowledge over traditional overhead.
Leadership Team
James Karanja
Co-Founder - Controversy & Authority Dispute Lead Expert
Kenya Lead | Africa Managing Director
James Karanja
Co-Founder - Controversy & Authority Dispute Lead Expert
James Karanja
Co-Founder – Tax Controversy, Dispute Resolution & Transfer Pricing Lead Expert
Former Tax Associate Director – Anjarwalla & Khanna (ALN) Kenya
Former Head of International Tax Office – Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA)
Profile
James Karanja is a recognized expert in international taxation, transfer pricing, and tax controversy, with extensive experience advising multinational corporations, private equity funds, and institutional bodies on complex tax matters.
He is highly regarded for his expertise in cross-border dispute resolution and tax policy enforcement, particularly within regional trade corridors, where he has supported corporate organizations in navigating complex regulatory and contentious tax environments.
James has an established track record in shaping international tax policy across the African continent, highlighted by his leadership as Head of Secretariat for the OECD–UNDP Tax Inspectors Without Borders initiative and his active role in regional implementation of the OECD Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) project.
He is a distinguished authority and speaker who regularly bridges technical gaps between corporate tax strategies and revenue administrations. He has trained tax, legal, and financial professionals across the continent, bringing a unique dual-lens perspective gained from over a decade of building and leading specialized tax enforcement units within state tax administration.
Professional Qualifications
- Master of Public Policy and Management (MPPM) – Strathmore University
- Postgraduate Diploma in Law – Kenya School of Law
- Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) – University of Nairobi
Areas of Expertise
- Transfer Pricing & Value Chain Advisory
- International Taxation & BEPS Compliance
- Tax Controversy & Dispute Resolution
- Tax Policy Reforms & Cross-Border Advisory
- Private Equity Tax Architecture & Restructuring
Career Summary
- Tax Associate Director – Anjarwalla & Khanna (ALN) Kenya
- Head of Transfer Pricing – Andersen East Africa
- Head of Secretariat – OECD–UNDP Tax Inspectors Without Borders
- Head of International Tax Office – Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA)
- Principal / Senior Revenue Officer – Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA)
- Technical Adviser to the Chairman – Busia Plane Crash Public Inquiry (Hon. Lee G. Muthoga)
- Legal Assistant – Muthoga, Gaturu & Company Advocates
- Email:jkaranja@taxiqafrica.com
Alfred Habaasa
Co-Founder – Economics, Valuation Lead Expert
Uganda Lead | Africa Deputy Managing Director
Alfred Habaasa
Co-Founder – Economics, Valuation Lead Expert
Alfred Habaasa
Co-Founder – Economics, Valuation & Transfer Pricing Lead Expert
Former Senior Transaction Tax Advisor – Ernst & Young (EY) Uganda
Former Team Leader, Extractives Transfer Pricing – Uganda Revenue Authority (URA)
Profile
Alfred Habaasa is a recognized expert in international taxation, transfer pricing, and tax policy, with extensive experience advising both public and private sector organizations on complex tax matters.
He is highly regarded for his expertise in the taxation of extractive industries, particularly within the oil, gas, and mining sectors, where he has supported organizations in navigating complex regulatory and commercial tax environments.
Alfred has authored several tax publications and technical articles across various professional platforms, including contributions to the IBFD International VAT Monitor, one of the leading international tax publications.
He is a distinguished speaker and trainer who regularly facilitates technical sessions at international forums. Notably, he facilitated sessions at the 2025 INTOSAI Working Group on Audit of Extractives covering Joint Venture and Farm-Out Accounting in the Oil and Gas sector. He has also trained tax, legal, and finance professionals across the African continent in International Tax and Transfer Pricing.
Professional Qualifications
- Fellow (ACCA) – Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA)
- Master of Laws (LL.M) – Energy Economics and the Law, University of Aberdeen
- Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) – Makerere University School of Law
- B.Sc. Applied Accounting – Oxford Brookes University
- Certified Public Accountant (CPA) – Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Uganda (ICPAU)
- Advanced Diploma in International Taxation (ADIT)
- Associate Member (ABE) – Association of Business Executives
Areas of Expertise
- Transfer Pricing
- International Taxation
- Tax Policy
- Extractives Taxation (Oil, Gas & Mining)
- Business Valuation
- Tax Advisory & Dispute Resolution
Career Summary
- Senior Transaction Tax Advisor – Ernst & Young (EY) Uganda
- Team Leader, Extractives Transfer Pricing – Uganda Revenue Authority (URA)
- Email:ahabaasa@taxiqafrica.com
Country Leads
Wame M. Pearson
Malawi Lead
Wame M. Pearson
Malawi Lead Expert
Former Senior Manager, Transfer Pricing & International Tax – EY Malawi
Founder & Tax Consultant – Pearson Tax Chambers
Profile
Wame M. Pearson is a recognized expert in international taxation, transfer pricing, and extractives fiscal regimes, with extensive experience advising multinational corporations, financial institutions, and global development organizations on complex tax matters.
He is highly regarded for his expertise in the taxation of energy and extractives, particularly within the upstream oil, gas, and mining sectors across Africa. He has supported sovereign states and private sector actors in negotiating large-scale infrastructure financing, mineral royalty structures, and optimal production-sharing fiscal regimes.
Wame has authored authoritative tax books and technical publications across both Malawi and Uganda, which are highly recommended by Big Four firms. He is a prominent global contributor and Tax News Correspondent for the International Bureau of Fiscal Documentation (IBFD) in the Netherlands.
He is a distinguished advocate and legal strategist who regularly represents clients in high-stakes tax controversies before the High Court and Supreme Court. Having successfully served as Country Tax Leader for the World Bank on the Digital Sector and the Digital Malawi Acceleration Project (DMAP), Wame brings deep technical capability in designing solutions for the evolving digital and gig economies, including BEPS Pillar One and Pillar Two readiness.
Professional Qualifications
- Master of Laws (LL.M) – Oil & Gas Taxation, Institute of Petroleum Studies Kampala
- Master of Laws (LL.M) – Mining & Metals Tax Law, Open University of Tanzania
- Advanced Diploma in International Taxation (ADIT) – Chartered Institute of Taxation (UK)
- Chartered Tax Advisor (CTA) – Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Uganda (ICPAU)
- Post Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice (Bar Course) – Law Development Center, Kampala
- Post Graduate Diploma in Taxation and Revenue Administration – East African School of Taxation
- Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) – Mbale University
Areas of Expertise
- Transfer Pricing Audit Defense & Risk Mitigation
- Tax Litigation, Controversy & Advocacy
- Upstream Oil, Gas & Mining Fiscal Regimes
- BEPS Action Points & Pillar 1 & Pillar 2 Capital Modeling
- Project Infrastructure Financing & Debt Restructuring
- Cross-Border Tax Structuring & Double Taxation Agreements
Career Summary
- Founder & Tax Consultant – Pearson Tax Chambers
- Independent Tax Consultant / Senior Manager, Transfer Pricing & International Tax – EY Malawi
- Tax News Correspondent (Malawi) – International Bureau of Fiscal Documentation (IBFD)
- Country Tax & Legal Consultant – World Bank (Digital Malawi Acceleration Project)
- Tax Attorney – Lex Africa Malawi
- Email:pwame@taxiqafrica.com
