Submit your papersSubmit Now
For Enquiries: [email protected]
IIARD LogoIIARD

Corporate Social Responsibility and Tax Aggressiveness of Quoted Oil and Gas Firms in Nigeria

Sylvester K. Okoh, FCA, FCTI Orjinta Hope Ifeoma, PhD, Udoezika Dave

Abstract

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) involves firms voluntarily engaging in practices that promote social good, which often includes ethical business practices, environmental stewardship, and community engagement. Investigating how CSR commitments correlates with tax aggressiveness necessitated this study. The study examined corporate social responsibility and tax aggressiveness of quoted oil and gas firms in Nigeria. The population of the study consists of twelve (12) quoted oil and gas firms in Nigeria. Secondary data was obtained from the audited annual financial reports of the quoted oil and gas firms in Nigeria from 2014 - 2023. Hypotheses formulated were tested using panel least squares regression through pooled effect, fixed effect, and random effect, determined by the Hausman test, fixed effect regression was preferred for results interpretation with the aid of E-views 10 econometric statistical software. Findings shows that corporate donations and social cost is negative (-3.056199) and significant at (0.0000). This negative impact of DSOC led to reduction in effective tax rate which is favourable to tax aggressiveness while, environmental cost is negative (-0.014754) and insignificant at (0.4268) to effective tax rate. This connotes that a rise in EVC by 1 unit will cause effective tax rate to reduce by 0.014754. The adjusted R-squared of 0.642196 suggests that DSOC and EVC account for roughly 64.2% of the variation in ETR, with the remaining 35.8% attributed to other factors not considered in this study. The study concludes that donations, social costs and environmental cost were the factors of corporate social responsibility that led to a decrease in the effective tax rate. The study therefore, recommends that given the significant negative impact of social costs (Donations) on tax aggressiveness, companies may consider increasing their social responsibility initiatives. This will not only reduce their tax

Keywords

Corporate Social ResponsibilitySocial CostsEnvironmental CostsTax

References

Agama, E. and Nkak, P.E. (2020). Corporate social responsibility performance and tax aggressiveness of listed industrial and consumer goods manufacturing firms in Nigeria. Journal of Business and Management (IOSR-JBM), 22(8), 31 – 40 Agboola O. S. and Oroge, C.A. (2019). Environmental Cost and Financial Performance: Analysis of Cement Companies in Nigeria. International Journal of Academic and Applied Research, 3(8), 60 - 65 Agundu, P.U.C & Siyanbola, A.A. (2017). Tax aggressiveness and corporate social responsibility fluidity in Nigerian firms. JORIND 15(1), 312 – 319 Amodu, N. (2017). Regulation and enforcement of corporate social responsibility in corporate Nigeria. Journal of African Law, 61(1), 105-130. Arifin, I. S. and Rahmiati, A. 92020). The Relationship between Corporate Social Responsibility and Tax Aggressiveness: An Indonesian Study. International Journal of Innovation, Creativity and Change, 13(4), 645 – 663 Aronmwan, E. J., & Ogbaisi, S. A. (2022). The nexus between standalone risk committees and tax aggressiveness: evidence from Nigeria, Future business journal, 8(9) Balakrishnan. (2011). Does Tax Aggressiveness Reduce Financial Reporting Transparency? Wharton School. University of Pennsylvania. Boadway, R., & Flatters, F. (2023). The taxation of natural resources: principles and policy issues. In Taxing choices for managing natural resources, the environment, and global climate change: Fiscal systems reform perspectives (pp. 17-81). Cham: Springer International Publishing. Buberwa, K. (2023). CSR and Taxes: Examining the Taxing Debate Over a Corporate's Social Responsibility. Christ, K., & Burritt, R. (2013). Environmental management accounting: the significance of contingent variables for adoption. Journal of Cleaner Production 41:163-173 Frank, M., Lynch. (2009). Tax reporting aggressiveness and its relation to aggressive financial reporting. The Accounting Review, 84, 467–496. Freedman, M. (2006). An analysis of the association between pollution disclosure and economic performance. Accounting, Auditing and Accountability Journal, 1(2), 43-58 Hawkins D (2006). Corporate social responsibility: balancing tomorrow's sustainability and today's profitability, Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan. Hlaing. (2012). Organizational Architecture of Multinationals and Tax Aggressiveness. University of Waterloo. Canada Hoi, C. K., Wu, Q., & Zhang, H. (2013). Is corporate social responsibility (CSR) associated with tax avoidance? Evidence from irresponsible CSR activities. The Accounting Review, 88(6), 2025-2059. Hopkins, B. R. (2019). The law of tax-exempt organizations. John Wiley & Sons. Iheduru, N. G. and Ike, R.C. (2019). Effect of Environmental and Social Cost on Performance of Manufacturing Companies in Nigeria. International Journal of Accounting & Finance Review, 4(2), 5 - 12 Krishnaswamy, H. (2021). Do The Indian Tax Enactments & Fiscal Policies? Incentivise & Facilitate Tax Evasion?-A Critical Study. Lanis, R., & Richardson, G. (2015). Is corporate social responsibility performance associated with tax avoidance? Journal of Business Ethics, 127(2), 439–457. Lanis, R., dan G. Richardson. (2013). Corporate Social Responsibility and Tax Aggressiveness: a test of legitimacy theory. Accounting Auditing and Accountability Journal, 26(1). 23. Libecap, G. D. (2014). Addressing global environmental externalities: Transaction costs considerations. Journal of Economic Literature, 52(2), 424-479. Melnyk, S., Sroufe, R. and Calantone, R. (2003). Assessing the impact of environmental management systems on corporate and perceived environmental performance. Journal of Operations Management, 329–351 Ndalu, T.C., Ibanichuka, E.A.L. & Ofurum C.O. (2021). Board characteristics and environmental disclosure of quoted oil and gas firms in Nigeria: The moderating role of firm size. International Journal of Innovative Finance and Economics Research 9(4), 51-62 Nwagbara, U. (2020). Exploring how institutions shape managerialist employment relations and work-life balance (WLB) challenges in Nigeria. Employee Relations: The International Journal, 42(6), 1401-1421. Nwezoku NC, & Egbunike PA (2020) Board diversity and corporate tax aggressiveness behaviour of quoted healthcare manufacturing firms in Nigeria. Int J Adv Acad Res Soc Manag Sci 6:66–96 Okoh, S.K. & Ofor, N. T. (2022). Corporate Board Attributes and Tax Aggressiveness of listed Non-financial Firms in Nigeria. International Journal of Innovative Finance and Economics Research 10(4), 1-14 Olowe, R. A. (1998). Financial Management: Concepts, Analysis and Capital Investments. , Lagos: Brierly Jones Osemene, O. and Olaoye, J. (2009). An evaluation of the effects of environmental accounting factors on thelife of the inhabitants of the oil producing communities in Nigeria. Lapai international Journal of Management and Social Sciences. Osinubi, I. S. (2020). The three pillars of institutional theory and IFRS implementation in Nigeria. Journal of Accounting in Emerging Economies, 10(4), 575-599. Renouard, C., & Ezvan, C. (2018). Corporate social responsibility towards human development: A capabilities framework. Business Ethics: A European Review, 27(2), 144-155. Salihu, I.A. & Kawi, F. (2021). Board attributes and corporate tax avoidance: An explanatory mixed method investigation. Journal of accounting and taxation, 13 (4), 291-303 Sethi, S. P., Martell, T. F., & Demir, M. (2017). Enhancing the role and effectiveness of corporate social responsibility (CSR) reports: The missing element of content verification and integrity assurance. Journal of business ethics, 144, 59-82. Wason. V. (2005). Double Entry Book keeping (financial accounting S.Chand and Company Ltd, Ram Nagar, New Delhi. Wijaya, H. and Mulya, H. (2020). The effect of corporate social responsibility on tax aggressiveness and its impact on financial performance. Saudi Journal of Business and Management Studies, 498 – 505 Ylönen, M., & Laine, M. (2015). For logistical reasons only? A case study of tax planning and corporate social responsibility reporting. Critical Perspectives on Accounting, 33, 5–23.

More Articles from INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AND MANAGEMENT RESEARCH

Building National Analytics Capacity: Advances and Future Pathways

Author: Uchechi Mary-Linda Unamma, Ifeanyichukwu Jeffrey Okwesa, Uzoamaka Iwuanyanwu

Root-Cause and Thematic Analysis for Major Incident Management: A Review

Author: Ifeanyichukwu Jeffrey Okwesa, Uchechi Mary-Linda Unamma, Uzoamaka Iwuanyanwu

Data-Quality and Single-Source-Of-Truth Frameworks for Inter- Agency Reporting: A Review

Author: Uchechi Mary-Linda Unamma, Ifeanyichukwu Jeffrey Okwesa, Uzoamaka Iwuanyanwu

Human-In-The-Loop Decision Systems: Advances and Future Directions

Author: Funmilayo Ashore-Onisemo, Uchechi Mary-Linda Unamma, Ifeanyichukwu Jeffrey, Okwesa,

Roles of Oil Subsidy Removal on Transportation Cost and Water Factory in Cross River South, Nigeria

Author: Onwuzurike Peter Tobechi, Owoh Akwa Owoh, Unoh Grace Inyang, Umaru Musa