Fiscal Federalism and Public Spending: Implications of Revenue Deficits on Expenditure Patterns of Government in Nigeria

Abstract

Fiscal decentralization has become fashionable regardless of the levels of development and civilization of societies. Nations are turning to devolution to improve the performance of their public sectors. Fiscal federalism is concerned with the allocation of government resources, tax-raising powers, and spending powers to the various tiers of government. Despite the existing fiscal arrangement in the country, backed by the constitution, revenue deficits continue to impede government performance at all levels. The study aims to assess the impact of fiscal federalism on the structure of public spending in Nigeria. Friedman's theory of public expenditure was used as the theoretical underpinning of the study. The study adopted a mixed methodological approach to carry out the investigation. Documentary sources were used for data collection, while data analysis was done using descriptive statistics and content analysis. Findings of the study revealed that revenue yields had continued to dwindle in Nigeria at both national and sub-national levels between 2011 and 2021. The decline in government revenue yields was factored in by the fall in global oil prices and the lethargic nature of the non-oil sector. The study also established that the consequence of the feeble revenue base was that resultant government spending was directed more towards financing recurrent expenditure at the detriment of capital expenditure, thus crippling the drive to spur economic development. The study recommends that it is critical for the government to:

• Obliterate the present monolithic oil economy by emphasizing economic diversification to boost the financial base of the country and 
• Prioritize public spending in favor of capital expenditure to propel economic growth and development.