Chapter One — 1.1 Background to the Study

Value Added Tax Administration has increasingly attracted the attention of researchers, regulators, and practitioners concerned with voluntary tax compliance. This growing interest reflects the recognition that value added tax administration does not operate in isolation, but interacts with a wider set of institutional and market conditions found within Borno State.

Borno State presents a useful setting for examining this relationship precisely because the conditions there — structural, regulatory, and behavioural — differ from those typically assumed in the broader literature, most of which draws on evidence from more developed economies.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

While value added tax administration is widely discussed in policy and industry circles, empirical evidence on its actual effect on voluntary tax compliance within Borno State remains sparse and, in places, contradictory. This lack of localized, rigorous evidence makes it difficult for decision-makers to know with confidence whether current approaches to value added tax administration are helping or hindering voluntary tax compliance — a gap this study sets out to close.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

1. To examine the effect of Value Added Tax Administration on voluntary tax compliance in Borno State.
2. To assess the extent to which value added tax administration influences voluntary tax compliance within the study area.
3. To identify the challenges associated with value added tax administration in relation to voluntary tax compliance.
4. To recommend strategies for optimizing value added tax administration in order to improve voluntary tax compliance.

1.4 Research Questions

1. What is the effect of value added tax administration on voluntary tax compliance in Borno State?
2. To what extent does value added tax administration influence voluntary tax compliance within the study area?
3. What challenges are associated with value added tax administration in relation to voluntary tax compliance?
4. What strategies can be adopted to optimize value added tax administration in order to improve voluntary tax compliance?

1.5 Significance of the Study

This study is significant to a range of stakeholders. For policymakers and regulators, the findings offer evidence to guide the design of frameworks that support healthier outcomes around voluntary tax compliance. For managers and practitioners within Borno State, the study provides practical insight into how value added tax administration can be better managed. Finally, it contributes to the academic literature on accounting by extending existing knowledge into a specific empirical context, and offers a reference point for future researchers.

1.6 Scope of the Study

The study is limited to an examination of Value Added Tax Administration and its relationship with voluntary tax compliance within the context of Borno State. It reflects a clearly defined scope of analysis and relies on data and perspectives available within that scope; generalizing the findings beyond this specific context should therefore be done with appropriate caution.