Harnessing Revenue Generation Potentials In West Africa Through The Creation Of An Enabling Environment For Women-Owned Businesses

It is stated in various research that the population of women far outnumber men in West Africa, yet the ratio of women to men, in terms of this population, is not reflected in the business environment to enable women contribute their quota significantly to domestic revenue mobilisation. The authors thus posit that, if the enabling environment is created for women-owned businesses, the possibility of such businesses contributing their quota in the area of domestic resource mobilisation will be significant to engender the needed economic growth and development in West African countries. The jobs to be created will provide revenue inflows to revenue authorities through employment taxes; dealings with other businesses will bring in the needed withholding tax revenue, and the corporate taxes to be paid when these businesses make profit, not to mention the tax on dividends in cases where the women-owned businesses and incorporated. This paper thus examines the challenges confronting women-owned businesses in West Africa, the opportunities available to assist and encourage the growth of such businesses, as well as how an enabling environment can be created for such businesses to flourish. The authors also provide recommendations on how women-owned businesses can be supported in this endeavour.