The Federal Government through the Minister of Finance, Budget, and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, has made known its plans to implement new tariff hike on data and calls.
She said that all voice calls, SMS messages, and Internet services will now be subject to a 1% excise duty tax as a starting point.
This will be “in addition to the existing 7.5% Value Added Tax (VAT), paid for goods and services across all sectors of the economy,” a statement from
The minister’s Special Adviser, Media & Communications, Yunusa Tanko Abdullahi, added.
“The government made the disclosure on 5% excise duty during a stakeholders’ meeting, organised by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the telecoms industry regulator.
Read: NCC rejects MTN, Airtel, GLO, others’ request to increase call, SMS charges
Speaking on behalf of Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, the Honourable Minister of Finance, Budget, and National Planning, at the meeting was the Assistant Director of the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget, and National Planning Tax Policy, Mr. Musa Umar, who noted:
“The 5% excise duty has been in the Finance Act 2020, but has never been implemented. Henceforth, the 5% excise duty will be collected by telecom operators and payment made to the federal government on a monthly basis, on or before 21st of every month.”
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