The Effect of Green Taxation on Financial Performance of Selected Oil and Gas Firms in Nigeria.

Abstract

This study investigated the effect of green taxation on financial performance of selected oil and gas firms in Nigeria for the period 2017-2022. The specific objectives were to investigate the effect of carbon emission taxes; to find out the effect of petroleum profit tax; and to investigate the effect of industrial pollution tax on financial performance of selected oil and gas firms in Nigeria for the period 2017-2022. The model included the total assets of the oil and gas firms as dependent variable. The study adopted ex post facto research and employed times series data sourced from the annual financial records of the oil and gas firms, and the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS). Evidence of longrun relationship was found among the model variables through the Johansen test, and a fast speed of adjustment at 32.01% annually. The major findings of the study are: carbon emission taxes had significant negative effect on financial performance of oil and gas firms in Nigeria; petroleum profit tax has significant negative effect on financial performance of oil and gas firms in Nigeria; and industrial pollution tax has significant negative effect on financial performance of oil and gas firms in Nigeria. Based on the findings, the study concluded that green taxation had significant negative effect on the financial performance of oil and gas firms in Nigeria. The study recommended that: the policymakers should design a strategy toward reviewing the carbon emission taxes due to evidence of negative shock on the oil and gas firms; the petroleum profit tax should also be reviewed down in order to mitigate risks arising from their operation which affect their performance; the government should further increase the industrial pollution tax rate, this will deter industries from indiscriminate pollution of the environment, restore investor confident and stabilize stock market in Nigeria.