- Tinubu’s Administration Scraps 5% Telecoms Tax
- NCC Confirms End of Excise Duty
- Government Removes Tax
The Executive Vice-Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Aminu Maida, has announced that President Bola Tinubu’s administration has completely removed the controversial five percent excise duty on telecommunications services.
According to Maida, Eko Hot Blog reports that the confirmation at an interactive session with journalists in Abuja, said the move is expected to relieve financial pressure on millions of subscribers.
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The excise duty, which was part of a broader tax reform bill, faced significant opposition when it was first introduced under the previous administration. President Tinubu initially suspended the tax in July 2023, citing concerns about its potential to negatively impact consumers and the wider economy.
Dr. Maida revealed that President Tinubu’s final decision to scrap the tax entirely came from a desire to support the Nigerian people. “I was in a room when it was raised, and he said, ‘No, we cannot put this on Nigerians,’” Maida stated, expressing his pleasure that the President’s words were followed through.
Beyond the tax removal, the NCC is also pursuing a series of reforms anchored on transparency, accountability, and improved consumer protection. Dr. Maida announced that the commission will release a public map in September, which will display independent data on network performance, including download speeds and latency.
The NCC also conducted a joint task force with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to address complaints about failed electronic top-ups, developing a new framework to standardize recharge processes.
Regarding widespread complaints of data depletion, a comprehensive audit of operators’ billing systems found no evidence of deliberate manipulation. The NCC’s investigation concluded that background app usage, device settings, and complex tariff structures were the primary factors contributing to consumer dissatisfaction.
Freda Bruce-Bennett, Director of the Consumer Affairs Bureau, urged Nigerians to manage their data consumption by disabling autoplay on social media and limiting background data usage.
As Nigeria’s telecom sector continues to grow, with over 172 million active telephone subscribers and 141 million internet users, the NCC is committed to evolving its policies to meet new realities.
