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Cost Recovery and User Charge Setting for Public Entities

Public entities and state institutions are increasingly expected to recover the cost of the services they provide through fees, levies and user charges. This course helps public sector finance staff calculate the true cost of a service and set charges that are fair, defensible and legally sound. It addresses the tension between financial sustainability and affordability that defines public service pricing across Africa.

What you will be able to do

  • Determine the full cost of delivering a public service.
  • Distinguish full cost recovery from partial and subsidised models.
  • Set user charges, fees and levies that are fair and defensible.
  • Assess affordability and equity in charge setting.
  • Navigate the legal and approval requirements for tariffs.
  • Review and adjust charges as costs and conditions change.

Course outline

  1. 01Principles of Cost Recovery in the Public Sector
  2. 02Calculating the Full Cost of a Service
  3. 03Full, Partial and Subsidised Recovery Models
  4. 04Setting Fair and Defensible Charges
  5. 05Affordability and Equity Considerations
  6. 06Legal and Approval Requirements for Tariffs
  7. 07Communicating Charges to the Public
  8. 08Reviewing and Adjusting User Charges

Who should attend

Finance officers, tariff and pricing staff, planners and managers in public entities, agencies, utilities and state institutions.

Dates, venues and fees

DatesVenueDaysFeeCalendar
17 to 18 Aug 2026Kampala2US$1,100
24 to 25 Aug 2026Dar es Salaam2US$1,100
31 Aug to 1 Sep 2026Pretoria2R10,000
7 to 8 Sep 2026Cape Town2R10,000
21 to 22 Sep 2026Online2US$900
28 to 29 Sep 2026Mozambique2US$1,100
5 to 6 Oct 2026Cairo2US$1,100
12 to 13 Oct 2026Accra2US$1,100
19 to 20 Oct 2026Lusaka2US$1,100
26 to 27 Oct 2026Kigali2US$1,100
2 to 3 Nov 2026Nairobi2US$1,100
9 to 10 Nov 2026Durban2R10,000
16 to 17 Nov 2026Johannesburg2R10,000
30 Nov to 1 Dec 2026Mauritius2US$1,100
7 to 8 Dec 2026Dubai2US$1,100
14 to 15 Dec 2026Lagos2US$1,100
21 to 22 Dec 2026Harare2US$1,100

Fees are per delegate. South African venues are priced in rand; other locations and online in US dollars. Fees exclude 15% VAT where applicable. Group bookings of three or more delegates from the same organisation qualify for a reduced rate; contact us for a quotation.

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