Abstract
The financial sustainability of oil resources is a critical issue for
resource-rich developing countries like South Sudan, where the management of
oil revenues plays a pivotal role in national economic stability and growth. The
study's objective was to determine the mediating effect of investment
incentives on the relationship between government revenue management practices
and financial sustainability of oil resources in South Sudan. A descriptive
longitudinal research design was adopted, utilizing secondary data collected
from 2012 to 2023 from sources such as the Central Bank of South Sudan, the
Ministry of Petroleum (MOP), the Ministry of Finance and Planning (MOFP), the
World Bank Report and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and analysis by
regression models. The findings revealed that investment incentives mediates
the relationship between government revenue management practices and financial
sustainability of oil resources in South Sudan, suggesting that strategic
incentives enhance the benefits of revenue management practices (R2
= 0.3412, p<0.05). The study concludes that effective
government revenue management, supported by strategic investment incentives are
essential for the financial sustainability of oil resources in South Sudan.
This study aids industry stakeholders in developing best practices that ensure
the sustainable extraction and sale of oil resources, the findings can shape
the development and refinement of national strategies and regulations
pertaining to the oil sector and the study enriches academic literature on the
dynamics of resource-rich economies. Based on the findings, the study
recommends that policymakers in South Sudan prioritize the implementation of
robust fiscal policies that enhance the efficiency of revenue collection and
ensure transparency in public expenditure. Specifically, the government should
establish an independent fiscal oversight body tasked with monitoring oil
revenue management and ensuring that revenues are allocated and spent in a
manner that supports long-term economic stability.
Keywords: Government revenue management practices, investment
incentives, financial sustainability, oil resources in South Sudan.