Tax and price stability in selected African countries: A GARCH-MIDAS approach

Motivated by the debate on how best to use tax as a policy tool to fill the huge development financing gap in African countries on the one hand, and achieve price stability objective on the other hand, this paper examines the role of different tax measures in the predictability of price stability in...

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Main Authors: Usenobong Akpan, Ada Tony Odu, Nuhu Ado, Nwanyinna Faustina Nsonwu, Austine Okereke, Bula Yunah Bulus, Nancy Zigwai Yunana, Elijah Akanni, Bako Rimamtanung, Aliyu Abdullahi Musa
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2024-03-01
Series:Scientific African
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2468227624000218
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author Usenobong Akpan
Ada Tony Odu
Nuhu Ado
Nwanyinna Faustina Nsonwu
Austine Okereke
Bula Yunah Bulus
Nancy Zigwai Yunana
Elijah Akanni
Bako Rimamtanung
Aliyu Abdullahi Musa
author_facet Usenobong Akpan
Ada Tony Odu
Nuhu Ado
Nwanyinna Faustina Nsonwu
Austine Okereke
Bula Yunah Bulus
Nancy Zigwai Yunana
Elijah Akanni
Bako Rimamtanung
Aliyu Abdullahi Musa
author_sort Usenobong Akpan
collection DOAJ
description Motivated by the debate on how best to use tax as a policy tool to fill the huge development financing gap in African countries on the one hand, and achieve price stability objective on the other hand, this paper examines the role of different tax measures in the predictability of price stability in selected African countries using a GARCH-MIDAS framework. We find that taxes contribute significantly to inflation volatility, albeit with mixed outcomes. While the results show that raising income, profits and capital gains tax for most African countries heightens inflation volatility, except for Madagascar, we also find that overall tax revenue and customs and other import duties tax had no significant impact on inflation volatility in most of the countries. We also record out-of-sample forecast gains in accounting for tax in the prediction of inflation volatility. For policy, the paper underscored the need for country-specific tax policy designs and implementation strategies. These may include to expand the tax net and improve efficiency of tax collection and administration (for countries where a further increase in tax rate could heighten inflation volatility or in addition consider a marginal increase in tax rate if tax is not a key predictor of inflation). The general policy option is to diversify and stabilize non-tax revenue streams for consistent funding of essential public goods and services and developmental initiatives.
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spelling doaj.art-1379d2e336854a96be62a11bc233b2012024-03-05T04:30:25ZengElsevierScientific African2468-22762024-03-0123e02077Tax and price stability in selected African countries: A GARCH-MIDAS approachUsenobong Akpan0Ada Tony Odu1Nuhu Ado2Nwanyinna Faustina Nsonwu3Austine Okereke4Bula Yunah Bulus5Nancy Zigwai Yunana6Elijah Akanni7Bako Rimamtanung8Aliyu Abdullahi Musa9Corresponding author.; Research Department, Central Bank of Nigeria, Abuja, NigeriaResearch Department, Central Bank of Nigeria, Abuja, NigeriaResearch Department, Central Bank of Nigeria, Abuja, NigeriaResearch Department, Central Bank of Nigeria, Abuja, NigeriaResearch Department, Central Bank of Nigeria, Abuja, NigeriaResearch Department, Central Bank of Nigeria, Abuja, NigeriaResearch Department, Central Bank of Nigeria, Abuja, NigeriaResearch Department, Central Bank of Nigeria, Abuja, NigeriaResearch Department, Central Bank of Nigeria, Abuja, NigeriaResearch Department, Central Bank of Nigeria, Abuja, NigeriaMotivated by the debate on how best to use tax as a policy tool to fill the huge development financing gap in African countries on the one hand, and achieve price stability objective on the other hand, this paper examines the role of different tax measures in the predictability of price stability in selected African countries using a GARCH-MIDAS framework. We find that taxes contribute significantly to inflation volatility, albeit with mixed outcomes. While the results show that raising income, profits and capital gains tax for most African countries heightens inflation volatility, except for Madagascar, we also find that overall tax revenue and customs and other import duties tax had no significant impact on inflation volatility in most of the countries. We also record out-of-sample forecast gains in accounting for tax in the prediction of inflation volatility. For policy, the paper underscored the need for country-specific tax policy designs and implementation strategies. These may include to expand the tax net and improve efficiency of tax collection and administration (for countries where a further increase in tax rate could heighten inflation volatility or in addition consider a marginal increase in tax rate if tax is not a key predictor of inflation). The general policy option is to diversify and stabilize non-tax revenue streams for consistent funding of essential public goods and services and developmental initiatives.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2468227624000218E31H21C53
spellingShingle Usenobong Akpan
Ada Tony Odu
Nuhu Ado
Nwanyinna Faustina Nsonwu
Austine Okereke
Bula Yunah Bulus
Nancy Zigwai Yunana
Elijah Akanni
Bako Rimamtanung
Aliyu Abdullahi Musa
Tax and price stability in selected African countries: A GARCH-MIDAS approach
Scientific African
E31
H21
C53
title Tax and price stability in selected African countries: A GARCH-MIDAS approach
title_full Tax and price stability in selected African countries: A GARCH-MIDAS approach
title_fullStr Tax and price stability in selected African countries: A GARCH-MIDAS approach
title_full_unstemmed Tax and price stability in selected African countries: A GARCH-MIDAS approach
title_short Tax and price stability in selected African countries: A GARCH-MIDAS approach
title_sort tax and price stability in selected african countries a garch midas approach
topic E31
H21
C53
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2468227624000218
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