TAX EVASION AND AVOIDANCE IN NIGERIA AND CAMEROON: A COMPARATIVE STUDY
TAX EVASION AND AVOIDANCE IN NIGERIA AND CAMEROON: A COMPARATIVE STUDY
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Date
1997-12
Authors
NKECHA, TANYI GEORGE
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Abstract
Tax evasion and avoidance remains one of the greatest problems plaguing
tax administration in Nigeria and Cameroon. These problems have tended to
defeat some of the fiscal policies of both countries such as the ability to transfer
part of the excess resources from private hands to government hands with a view
to spending same for the welfare of the generality of the citizens. Outside the rank
and file of the salaried employees, most citizens in Nigeria and Cameroon pay
inadequate taxes or no taxes at all and behaviours like these have led to a
substantial loss of government revenue. The reasons for such unwanton
behaviours could be attributed to several factors, the insufficiencies and
complexities of tax legislation coupled with expert advice to tax payers to take
advantage of loopholes in the tax law, high rates of taxation and lack of civic
responsibilities amongst the tax payers. Moreover tax administration in Nigeria
and Cameroon are weak and plagued with unsurmountable problems. Although,
there exists both prison terms and monetary penalties under the Cameroonian and
Nigerian tax legislation, these penalties in our opinion seem grossly inadequate.
The study recommended that monetary penalties and criminal
sanctions should be drastically increased so as to make it unworthwhile for taxable
persons to attempt evading taxes in Nigeria and Cameroon. For this purpose there
should be public exposure in the case of detection of fraud.
Description
A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL,
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA
IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS
FOR THE AWARD OF MASTER OF LAW (LL.M)
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCIAL LAW
FACULTY OF LAW
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY
ZARIA, NIGERIA.
Keywords
TAX EVASION,, AVOIDANCE,, NIGERIA, CAMEROON,, COMPARATIVE,, STUDY