EFFECT OF CORPORATE TAX REVENUE ON ECONOMIC GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF NIGERIAN MANUFACTURING SECTOR

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the study

Tax revenue mobilization as a source for financing development activities in Nigeria has been a difficult issue primarily because of various forms of resistance, such as evasion, avoidance and other form of corrupt practices. These activities are considered as sabotaging the economy and are readily presented as part of the reasons for present state of underdevelopment in Nigeria.

As the Nigerian economy is in the recession period, there are inconsistencies in our tax laws which had made it difficult for the tax body to administer and even for the tax payer to follow.

The federal government had the intension to maintain a uniform tax system but the economic condition of each state has given room for divergence system. The most important thing one should have in mind is that taxation is supposed to be an instrument of social change which it is not answering as much as it should be doing presently in Nigeria. The impact of tax payment is not felt by payee and some do not understand some tax laws and this indeed has put them into doubt and confusion and has definitely made others to want to avoid and evade tax.

Every modern state or nation requires a lot of revenue to be able to provide and maintain essential services for its citizen. One ready means of revenue for the government is through the imposition of tax. The imposition of tax by the government is not a new phenomenon. There is hardly any government today that does not rely on taxation. However, apart from the complications that have crept into the taxation system in modern times, the reason for the imposition of tax in fact ceased to be only for the generation of revenue for the state. It has also become the avenue for the redistribution of wealth and re-adjustment of the economy (Ojo, 2008).

Therefore, the tax system is one of the most powerful levies available to any government to stimulate and guide its economic and social development. The FBIR (Federal Board of Inland Revenue) which is vested with the power to administer the act and carry out all the act which may be deemed necessary and expedient for the assessment and collection of tax ,and shall for all amount so collected in a manner to be prescribed by the Federal Minister of Finance. The Board has certain reserved power which shall not be delegated to any other person to perform, e.g. power to acquire, hold and dispose properties of any company in satisfaction to tax or any judgment debt, and to specify the forms of return claim and notices.

The main forms of tax collected are direct and indirect taxes. For the direct taxes, it is levied on individuals, and factors of productions e.g. Personal Income Tax (PIT), Capital Gain Tax (CGT).

However, indirect taxes are levied on goods and services e.g. import and export duties. Thus, the consumers bear the ultimate burden. Having realized that taxation is one of the most important sources of revenue for the various tiers of the government and a major way of sourcing financial support to the Nigeria government

at large, it is of paramount importance that tax evasion and avoidance is discouraged with every conceivable means.

1.2 Statement of Problem

In developing countries, the government has to play an active role in promoting economic growth and development because private initiative and capital are limited. Fiscal policy or budget has become an important instrument in promoting growth and development in such economies.

Taxation is an important part of fiscal policy which can be used effectively by government and developing economies. Taxation play a very vital role in economic development of a country which includes: resources mobilization, reduction in inequalities of income, improvement in social welfare, foreign exchange, regional development, control inflation etc.

According to the classical economist the only objective of taxation was to raise government revenue. But with the change in circumstances and ideologies, the aim of taxes has also been changed. These days apart from the objective of raising the public revenue, taxes level affect consumption, production and distribution with a view to ensuring the social welfare through the economic development of a country, tax can be used as an important tool in the following manner: optimum allocation of available resources, raising government revenue, encouraging savings and investment, acceleration of economic growth, price stability, control mechanism etc. the one and major problem to be address in this work “is the poor fiscal discipline in the allocation of resources and the operation of an ineffective tax regime in Nigeria.’’

1.3 Objectives of the Study

The aim of this research work is to examine the effect of corporate tax revenue on economic growth with particular reference to Nigeria manufacturing sector. The specific objectives of this research work includes the following:

1. To examine the effect of company income tax on gross domestic product in Nigeria.
2. To evaluate the effect of value added tax (VAT) on gross domestic product in Nigeria.
3. To ascertain the effect of custom an excise duties on gross domestic project in Nigeria.

1.4 Research Questions

Based on the objectives of this study, the researcher asked the following questions:

1. To what extent does custom and excise duties affect the gross domestic product of Nigeria?
2. To what extent does company income tax affect gross domestic product of Nigeria?
3. To what extent does value added tax affect the gross domestic product of Nigeria?

1.5 Statement of Hypotheses

Ho: Company income tax does not have any influence on gross domestic  product of Nigeria

H1: Company income tax influences gross domestic product of Nigeria.

Ho: Custom and excise duties do not influence the gross domestic product of Nigeria.

H1: Custom and excise duties influence the gross domestic product of Nigeria.

Ho: There is no significant difference between value added tax and gross domestic product of Nigeria

H1: There is a significant difference between value added tax and gross domestic product of Nigeria