Interpretation of tax statutes in Nigeria: unveiling scholarly and judicial insights for guided implementation

Abstract

Taxes constitute a cornerstone of the economies of every country and are arguably the major source of revenue for most countries who have an efficient legal and institutional regime for taxation. They are therefore manifestly important in the development of most nations. Tax law is totally a matter of statute so the interpretation of tax statutes is of monumental importance in the administration of the tax regime. It is against the foregoing background that this paper examines the legal regime for the interpretation of tax statutes in Nigeria. The researchers adopted the doctrinal method of study which involved the analysis of judicial decisions and scholarly publications on the regime for interpretation of tax status in Nigeria. It articulated the main rules and principles utilized in construing tax statutes and concluded by inter alia, urging Judges and lawmakers to do their part to ensure that both the enactment and interpretation of tax statutes are lucid.