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Tax Innovations and Public Revenues in Sub-Saharan Africa

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  • Pelle Ahlerup
  • Thushyanthan Baskaran
  • Arne Bigsten

Abstract

We study the effect of two tax innovations - value added taxes (VAT) and autonomous revenue authorities (ARA) - on tax revenues in sub-Saharan Africa. The dataset consists of 47 countries over 1980-2010. We find that VATs have no effect on total tax revenues, neither in the short- nor in the long-run. ARAs lead to higher tax revenues in the short- and medium-run, but the effect dissipates over time. The main conclusion is that tax innovations are not a panacea to overcome the revenue shortages in African countries, but they are helpful in the short- and medium-run.

Suggested Citation

  • Pelle Ahlerup & Thushyanthan Baskaran & Arne Bigsten, 2015. "Tax Innovations and Public Revenues in Sub-Saharan Africa," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 51(6), pages 689-706, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:jdevst:v:51:y:2015:i:6:p:689-706
    DOI: 10.1080/00220388.2014.997223
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    3. Denis Cogneau & Yannick Dupraz & Justine Knebelmann & Sandrine Mesplé-Somps, 2021. "Taxation in Africa from Colonial Times to Present Evidence from former French colonies 1900-2018," PSE Working Papers halshs-03420664, HAL.
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    5. Amutabi, Cyprian, 2023. "Domestic Resource Mobilization for Economic Development in Africa: Challenges, Policy Options, and Prospects in the New Horizon," MPRA Paper 118372, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    6. Abrams M.E. Tagem, 2017. "The economics and politics of foreign aid and domestic revenue," WIDER Working Paper Series 180, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    7. Andre Gbato & Falapalaki Lemou & Jean-François Brun, 2021. "Effectiveness of SARA reform in sub-Saharan Africa [Efficacité de la réforme des SARA en Afrique subsaharienne]," Working Papers hal-03119001, HAL.
    8. Romain Houssa & Kelbesa Megersa, 2017. "Institutional quality, economic development and the performance of VAT," BeFinD Working Papers 0115, University of Namur, Department of Economics.
    9. 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).
    10. Andersson, Jens & Lazuka, Volha, 2019. "Long-term drivers of taxation in francophone West Africa 1893–2010," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 114(C), pages 294-313.
    11. Harsha Konara Mudiyanselage & Shawn Xiaoguang Chen, 2022. "What impairs the ‘money machine’ of VAT in developing countries?," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 29(5), pages 1128-1159, October.
    12. Roel Dom, 2017. "Semi-Autonomous Revenue Authorities in Sub-Saharan Africa: Silver Bullet or White Elephant," Discussion Papers 2017-01, University of Nottingham, CREDIT.
    13. Abrams M.E. Tagem, 2017. "The economics and politics of foreign aid and domestic revenue," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2017-180, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    14. Nimonka Bayale & Abdou‐Fataou Tchagnao & Madow Nagou & Pouwemdéou Tchila, 2023. "Beneficial impact of tax reforms on tax revenue performances in Togo: Myth or reality?," Bulletin of Economic Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 75(4), pages 1323-1343, October.
    15. Limberg, Julian, 2022. "Building a tax state in the 21st century: Fiscal pressure, political regimes, and consumption taxation," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).
    16. Tommaso Giommoni & Gabriel Loumeau, 2022. "Taxation with a Grain of Salt: The Long-Term Effect of Fiscal Policy on Local Development," CESifo Working Paper Series 9997, CESifo.
    17. Marina Nistotskaya & Michelle D'Arcy, 2021. "No taxation without property rights: Formalization of property rights on land and tax revenues from individuals in sub-Saharan Africa," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2021-175, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    18. Santoro, Fabrizio, 2021. "To file or not to file? Another dimension of tax compliance - the Eswatini Taxpayers’ survey," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 95(C).
    19. M. Mardan, 2023. "The unintended consequences of semi‐autonomous revenue agencies," Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 56(3), pages 1063-1081, August.
    20. Matilde Jeppesen, 2021. "What we hoped for and what we achieved: Tax performance of Semi‐Autonomous Revenue Authorities in sub‐Saharan Africa," Public Administration & Development, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 41(3), pages 115-127, August.
    21. Mattéo Godin & Romain Houssa & Kelbesa Megersa, 2017. "The Performance of VAT in DGD-partner countries," BeFinD Working Papers 0116, University of Namur, Department of Economics.
    22. Abrams M. E. Tagem, 2023. "The dynamic effects of aid and taxes on government spending," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 30(6), pages 1656-1687, December.

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