Impact of Tax Revenue on Income Inequality and Poverty in Nigeria

Abstract

This study is on the impact of tax revenue on income inequality and poverty in Nigeria from 1995 to 2022, variables used are total tax revenue as the independent variable, poverty rate and income inequality proxy by Gini coefficient as dependent variables. Multiple taxation, corruption, value added tax, policy failures and inefficient fiscal operations are identified by this study as contributive factors to income inequality and poverty in Nigeria. The findings revealed that the relationship between total tax revenue and poverty rate is positive (as against apriori expectations). The estimated results are R2 at 0.626243 and adjusted R2 0.588253 which are the coefficient of determination or explainability of the independent variable (TTR) for the dependent variable (GIN), 63% of the changes in the dependent variable (GIN) is caused by changes in (TTR). The study concluded that tax revenue has a significant positive impact on poverty rate and income inequality in Nigeria. Major recommendations are that the Ministry of Finance, the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) the state board of Internal Revenue Service, the Joint Tax Board (JTB) should improve the dividend of taxation through accountability, transparency, better revenue generation and tax revenue expenditure on infrastructure and basic services.