The Effects of Federal Tax Component on Standard of Living in Nigeria

In the early days of civilization, biblical and pre biblical days, taxes were collected to maintain the kingsqueens, provide security and fight wars. It could be a  direct surcharge on the citizens of the  kingdom or empire or tributes   paid   by   ‘conquerors’   to   show   their   unflinching   loyalty   to mastersconquerors.  These  forms  of  taxes  did not  necessarily  depend  on richness or the ability to pay concept. There was of course no record of accountability   except   the   archaeological   findings   about   the   Sumerian civilization of more than 500 years ago (legislative analyst office 2001).In Nigeria and indeed some parts of Africa, payment of taxes is not strange.This is because, even before independence, taxes were collected either by the colonial masters or emirschief in different names.