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Working Paper Series no. 418: Tax Revenue Instability in sub-Saharan Africa: Consequences and Remedies

Abstract

This paper focuses on the sources and consequences of the instability of tax revenue in Sub-Saharan African countries. We took advantage of a unique and extraordinarily rich dataset on the composition of tax revenues for a large number of countries. Using panel data for 37 countries observed over the period 1980-2005, our results are twofold. First, the instability of government tax revenue leads to the instability of both public investment and government consumption, and also reduces the level of public investment. Second, the reliance on domestic indirect taxation-based systems appears to have a robust stabilising effect.

Christian Ebeke and Hélène Ehrhart
January 2013

Classification JEL : H20, E32, O11

Keywords : Tax instability; tax composition; public spending; Sub-Saharan Africa.

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Working Paper Series no. 418: Tax Revenue Instability in sub-Saharan Africa: Consequences and Remedies
  • Published on 01/31/2013
  • EN
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Updated on: 06/12/2018 11:09