A majority of Africans see tax-generated government revenue as an important national development resource, Afrobarometer's unprecedented survey of 29 countries show.
However, six in ten people say it is difficult to know how much tax they pay and a seven in ten do not know how the government spends the taxes, according to the survey, with a sample of 43,500, representing the views of half the African population.
Perceived corruption also plays a role in people's willingness to pay their taxes. More than one in three say most or all tax officials are corrupt; four in ten say at least some tax officials are. Distrust in tax officials increases tolerance for tax avoidance in principle and reported non-compliance with tax obligations in practice.
