An Assessment of Property Tax Administration in Edo State, Nigeria

The mode of administration of property tax determines its buoyancy. The study utilizes key informant method to examine the mode of operation of Edo State Land Use Charge. The study observes that property tax revenue mobilization in Benin Metropolis is ineffective due to unsystematic tax administration procedure employed by Land Use Charge Department. The study shows that in adequate personnel, public contempt, limited coverage of the tax base and shrouded valuation meth od are major problems of the Land Use Charge in Benin metropolis. It also reveals that the current property tax administration will not appreciably enhance the internally generated revenue except the mode of operation is reformed. To overcome these challenges it is recommended among others that the implementation of modern and transparent assessment methods for real estate utilizing remote sensing and GIS integrated with computer-assisted mass appraisal (CAMA) be incorporated through a public-involved debate on property tax reform.