IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/jfr/afr111/v8y2019i3p118.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Taxation and Income Inequality in Nigeria

Author

Listed:
  • John Obiora Anyaduba
  • Praise Oghenefejiro Otulugbu

Abstract

The study examined taxation and income inequality (GINI), specifically, it determined the impact of Value Added Tax (VAT), Custom and Excise Duties (CED), Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT) and Company Income Tax (CIT) on GINI in Nigeria from the year 1990 to 2016. The Cointegration and Error Correction Models (ECMs) were used to analyze the data. Augmented Dickey Fuller unit root was used to test for stationarity. Data were sourced from the Central Bank of Nigerian statistical bulletin, Federal Inland Revenue Service and the National Bureau of Statistics. The result revealed that VAT, CED and PPT had positive relationship with GINI when measured at 5% critical level, though VAT and CED were not significant. CIT had a negative but significant impact on GINI. Based on the findings, we conclude that only CIT was able to reduce income inequality. We therefore recommend that VAT should be imposed on goods and services consumed by high income earners. In respect of CED, government should address the level of tariffs; for PPT, there is need for adequate diversification of the economy; and for CIT, tax authority should harness corporate taxes to its fullness.

Suggested Citation

  • John Obiora Anyaduba & Praise Oghenefejiro Otulugbu, 2019. "Taxation and Income Inequality in Nigeria," Accounting and Finance Research, Sciedu Press, vol. 8(3), pages 118-118, August.
  • Handle: RePEc:jfr:afr111:v:8:y:2019:i:3:p:118
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.sciedupress.com/journal/index.php/afr/article/download/15938/9925
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.sciedupress.com/journal/index.php/afr/article/view/15938
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jorge Martínez-Vázquez & Violeta Vulovic & Blanca Moreno Dodson, 2012. "The Impact of Tax and Expenditure Policies on Income Distribution: Evidence from a Large Panel of Countries," Hacienda Pública Española / Review of Public Economics, IEF, vol. 200(1), pages 95-130, March.
    2. Mr. Ke-young Chu & Mr. Hamid R Davoodi & Mr. Sanjeev Gupta, 2000. "Income Distribution and Tax and Government Social Spending Policies in Developing Countries," IMF Working Papers 2000/062, International Monetary Fund.
    3. Peter Okoeguale Ibadin & Adesina Olugoke Oladipupo, 2015. "Indirect Taxes And Economic Growth In Nigeria," Economic Thought and Practice, Department of Economics and Business, University of Dubrovnik, vol. 24(2), pages 345-364, december.
    4. Kaisa Alavuotunki & Jukka Pirttilä, 2015. "The consequences of the value-added tax on inequality," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2015-111, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    5. Engel, Eduardo M. R. A. & Galetovic, Alexander & Raddatz, Claudio E., 1999. "Taxes and income distribution in Chile: some unpleasant redistributive arithmetic," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 59(1), pages 155-192, June.
    6. Mohammad Ali MORADI, 2009. "Oil Resource Abundance, Economic Growth,and Income Distribution in Iran," EcoMod2009 21500069, EcoMod.
    7. Ke-Young Chu & Hamid Davoodi & Sanjeev Gupta, 2000. "Income Distribution and Tax, and Government Social Spending Policies in Developing Countries," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2000-214, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    8. Kaisa Alavuotunki & Jukka Pirttilä, 2015. "The consequences of the value-added tax on inequality," WIDER Working Paper Series 111, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    9. Barbora Slintáková & Stanislav Klazar, 2010. "Impact of Harmonisation on Distribution of VAT in the Czech Republic," Prague Economic Papers, Prague University of Economics and Business, vol. 2010(2), pages 133-149.
    10. Chu, Ke-Young & Davoodi, Hamid & Gupta, Sanjeev, 2000. "Income Distribution and Tax, and Government Social Spending Policies in Developing Countries," WIDER Working Papers 295547, United Nations University, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    11. Chu, K.-y. & Davoodi, H. & Gupta, S., 2000. "Income Distribution and Tax, and Government Social Spending Policies in Developing Countries," Research Paper 214, World Institute for Development Economics Research.
    12. Richard M. Bird & Eric M. Zolt, 2014. "Redistribution via Taxation: The Limited Role of the Personal Income Tax in Developing Countries," Annals of Economics and Finance, Society for AEF, vol. 15(2), pages 625-683, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Sanjeev Gupta & João Tovar Jalles, 2020. "Tax Revenue Reforms and Income Distribution in Developing Countries," Working Papers REM 2020/0137, ISEG - Lisbon School of Economics and Management, REM, Universidade de Lisboa.
    2. Kalle Hirvonen & Giulia Mascagni & Keetie Roelen, 2018. "Linking taxation and social protection: Evidence on redistribution and poverty reduction in Ethiopia," International Social Security Review, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 71(1), pages 3-24, January.
    3. Djeneba Doumbia & Mr. Tidiane Kinda, 2019. "Reallocating Public Spending to Reduce Income Inequality: Can It Work?," IMF Working Papers 2019/188, International Monetary Fund.
    4. Oueslati, Walid & Zipperer, Vera & Rousselière, Damien & Dimitropoulos, Alexandros, 2017. "Energy taxes, reforms and income inequality: An empirical cross-country analysis," International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 150(C), pages 80-95.
    5. Kalle Hirvonen & Giulia Mascagni & Keetie Roelen, 2018. "Linking taxation and social protection: Evidence on redistribution and poverty reduction in Ethiopia," International Social Security Review, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 71(1), pages 3-24, January.
    6. Edward Anderson & Maria Ana Jalles D'Orey & Maren Duvendack & Lucio Esposito, 2017. "Does Government Spending Affect Income Inequality? A Meta-Regression Analysis," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(4), pages 961-987, September.
    7. Goñi, Edwin & Humberto López, J. & Servén, Luis, 2011. "Fiscal Redistribution and Income Inequality in Latin America," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 39(9), pages 1558-1569, September.
    8. Conrad Scheibe, 2016. "Fiscal Consolidations and Their Effects on Income Inequality," UCL SSEES Economics and Business working paper series 2016-4, UCL School of Slavonic and East European Studies (SSEES).
    9. Rodrigo Cubero & Ivanna Vladkova Hollar, 2010. "Equity and Fiscal Policy: The Income Distribution Effects of Taxation and Social Spending in Central America," IMF Working Papers 2010/112, International Monetary Fund.
    10. Kyriacou, Andreas & Muinelo-Gallo, Leonel & Roca-Sagalés, Oriol, 2015. "On the redistributive efficiency of fiscal policy," MPRA Paper 63276, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    11. Guillermo E. Perry & William F. Maloney & Omar S. Arias & Pablo Fajnzylber & Andrew D. Mason & Jaime Saavedra-Chanduvi, 2007. "Informality : Exit and Exclusion," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 6730.
    12. Cont, Walter & Porto, Alberto, 2014. "Personal and regional redistribution through public finance in a federal setting," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 54(4), pages 563-578.
    13. Andy McKay, 2002. "Assessing the Impact of Fiscal Policy on Poverty," WIDER Working Paper Series DP2002-43, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    14. Bird, Richard M. & Zolt, Eric M., 2011. "Dual Income Taxation: A Promising Path to Tax Reform for Developing Countries," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 39(10), pages 1691-1703.
    15. Jorge Martinez-Vazquez, 2001. "The Impact of Budgets on the Poor: Tax and Benefit," International Center for Public Policy Working Paper Series, at AYSPS, GSU paper0110, International Center for Public Policy, Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, Georgia State University.
    16. Dodlova, Marina & Giolbas, Anna, 2015. "Regime Type, Inequality, and Redistributive Transfers in Developing Countries," GIGA Working Papers 273, GIGA German Institute of Global and Area Studies.
    17. Cabrera, Maynor & Lustig, Nora & Morán, Hilcías E., 2015. "Fiscal Policy, Inequality, and the Ethnic Divide in Guatemala," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 263-279.
    18. Lopez, Ramon, 2005. "Why governments should stopnon-social subsidies : measuring their consequences for rural Latin America," Policy Research Working Paper Series 3609, The World Bank.
    19. Osvaldo Nina & Esteban Nina, 2004. "El Efecto Redistributivo de los Impuestos y del Gasto Social Corriente en Bolivia," Development Research Working Paper Series 05/2004, Institute for Advanced Development Studies.
    20. Sandra Martinez-Aguilar & Alan Fuchs & Eduardo Ortiz-Juarez & Giselle Del Carmen, 2017. "The Impact of Fiscal Policy on Inequality and Poverty in Chile," Commitment to Equity (CEQ) Working Paper Series 1346, Tulane University, Department of Economics.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • R00 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General - - - General
    • Z0 - Other Special Topics - - General

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:jfr:afr111:v:8:y:2019:i:3:p:118. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sciedu Press (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/cepflch.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.