Deterrent tax fraud in nigeria: a causal factor and conceptual review

Abstract

Deterrent as punishment to tax fraud is an age long tool correcting tax offender and ensuring prompt response to payment of tax levies, as it were from inception tax fraud is astronomically on the increase rather than declining. The aim of this paper was to assess the role of deterrent on tax fraud in Nigeria. The study attempts to review components of tax frauds applicable to deterrent as punishment on tax defaulters or culprits. The paper presents detailed analysis of tax evasion, avoidance and causes of tax fraud with possible reasons responsible for taxpayer declines to file in tax obligations as oppose to willingness to pay. Specifically, it supervene major inherent problems and lukewarm attitudes of government inability to mitigate tax levy into responses and outcomes. Hence, demystifies credible and genuine reasons for or toward tax revenue realizations, responses and outcomes. Moreso, the paper identifies basis for future research, expanded the scope of study and highlighted relevance arguments among reviewed related theoretical issues using a causal factor and conceptual approach thereby involving survey of literature to bring relevance issues to the fore as oppose to the aforementioned nomenclatures. Essentially, various tax penalties ensuring defaulters is punishable relative to the proportion of offenses involved were discussed. Thereafter, pass on to overhaul prior studies, gaps in reviewed prior studies and domesticate the study on relevant deterrent school of thoughts. It therefore, concludes that Tax fraud may not have an end in Nigeria, if those saddled with the responsibility of tax all-encompassing, inclusiveness, delivering tax-welfare to taxpayers are seen not transparent, accountable, sincere, sensitive to the plight of tax payers, and devoid of skirmishes as well as translating taxes revenue into responsibility. However, propose that deterrence is not anylonger the way to go, having tossed both sides of the divide, exigency of time have to take precedence; and allows civility, novelty, automation and all-inclusiveness muster and remediate tax fraud in Nigeria.