AN EVALUATION OF THE EFFICIENCY OF CONSUMPTION TAX ADMINISTRATION IN NIGERIA: 1985 - 1994

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Date
1996-12
Authors
SILVA, ZAINA MARGARET
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Abstract
ABSTRACT Taxation is one of the tools employed by governments to generate revenue, regulate the economy, and change markets for certain goods and services. Consumption taxes, which are generally levied on producers or distributors, are generally passed on to consumers in higher prices. The general sales taxes, which are consumpt on taxes, are usually classified mto the turnover tax, single-stage sales taxes, and the value added tax (VAT). In Nigeria, two consumption taxes have been implemented on a nationwide basis, namely, Sales Tax (1986 - 1993) and VAT (as from 1994). The Sales Tax failed to achieve its goal of bringing considerable revenue to the State Governments. It was replaced with VAT in the hope that VAT would redress Nigeria's over-dependence on crude oil sales as the main source of revenue. The thrust of this study has been to examine and evaluate the implementation, administration and productivity of Sales Tax and VAT with a view to determining if the actual operation of the VAT system in 1994 was an improvement over the operation of the Sales Tax system prior to 1994. The study also attempted to draw a conclusion about the ability of VAT to redress Nigeria's heavy dependence on oil revenue. This study revealed that VAT is more equitable than Sales Tax in its coverage of the economy; greater attention was paid to developing clear and practicable tax regulations and tax return forms for VAT than for Sales Tax; tax payer compliance was generally greater with respect to VAT than for Sales Tax; and nation-wids VAT yield in 1994 alone was nearly seven times the total nation wide revenue generated by Sales Tax during its eight-year duration under Decide No. 7 of 1986. However, the implementation of VAT shares some of the problems associated with Sales Tax, such as inadequacy of facilities and resources to cope with the actual population of VAT-able persons in each state, and inadequate implementation of audit and investigation procedures. It was also observed that penalties for non-compliance or other offences were rarely imposed. Despite the administrative difficulties encountered in VAT administration, it was observed that VAT was better organised, publicised, and implemented than Sales Tax; and if VAT continues to be administered with the same zeal and efficiency which characterised its first year operation, it will bring in substantial revenue to the Federal Government and the states. The study concluded by offering some suggestions to the Federal Inland Revenue Service to improve VAT administration and thereby increase VAT yield.
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A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL, AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA, NIGERIA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE (ACCOUNTING & FINANCE
Keywords
EVALUATION,, EFFICIENCY,, CONSUMPTION,, TAX,, ADMINISTRATION,, NIGERIA:, 1985 - 1994
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