The Federal Government has removed the 5 per cent excise duty on telecommunication services, a decision expected to provide financial relief to millions of Nigerians. According to Dr. Aminu Maida, the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), President Bola Tinubu ordered the tax to be scrapped as part of discussions on the Finance Act.
The tax, which was introduced in 2022 to increase non-oil revenue, had been heavily criticized by telecom operators. They argued that they were already burdened by numerous taxes and rising operational costs, forcing them to pass the new tax directly onto consumers.
The removal of the 5 per cent levy follows an earlier 50 per cent increase in telecom tariffs approved by the NCC in January, which had already placed significant financial strain on Nigerian users.
