Taxation of Oil and Gas Revenue in African Countries

The recognition of oil and gas as a predominant source of wealth in many developing countries is well established in the literature. For good or bad, the revenues generated from oil and gas can have a huge impact on the economic development and prosperity of developing economies. This chapter reviews the practice and implications of different resource taxes including royalties, corporate income tax, profit taxes, the resource rent tax, and acquisition of equity on oil and gas exploration and development in developing countries. Questions of the relevance and suitability of the different tax instruments for the countries implementing them are explored, and recommendations are proffered for African countries.