Impact of Non-Oil tax revenue on economic growth in West Africa: Multivariate panel data approach

This study examined the impact of non-oil tax revenue on economic growth in West African Countries. Specifically, the study sought to: investigate the impact of value added tax on economic growth in West Africa; examine the impact of company tax revenue on economic growth in West Africa; determine the impact of personal tax revenue on economic growth in West Africa. The variables used in the study were value added tax (VAT), company tax revenue (CIT), personal tax revenue (PIT) and real GDP growth and were collected over period of 1990 to 2020 from World Bank database (WDI) 2021. Sample of five (5) West Africa countries namely Nigeria, Ghana, Mali, Togo and Burkina-Feso out of twenty (20) West Africa countries were used in the study. The method of data analysis was Generalized panel least square. The empirical results showed that value added tax revenue (VAT) has positive and significant impact on economic growth in West Africa; company tax revenue (CIT) has positive and significant impact on economic growth in West Africa; capital gain tax revenue (CGT) has positive and significant impact on economic growth in West Africa and personal tax revenue (PIT) has positive but insignificant impact on economic growth in West Africa. This study concluded that there is positive and significant impact of non-oil tax revenue on economic growth in West Africa. Non-oil tax revenues contribute on the average 46 percent increase in economic growth in West Africa countries. The study recommended that tax authorities of West Africa countries should engage in a complete re-organization of the company tax revenue (CIT) administrative machineries.