‘How 5% tax removal will boost investments, reduce telecom tariffs’

The executive of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Aminu Maida, recently spoke in Abuja about the positive impact of removing the 5% excise duty tax on telecom services. The tax, which was temporarily suspended and then completely scrapped, was set to take effect in January 2026.

Maida highlighted that the removal of the tax would boost investments, reduce telecom tariffs, and benefit both businesses and ordinary families. The telecom industry had strongly opposed the reintroduction of the tax, arguing that it would burden companies already struggling to provide services.

The move to exempt the Digital Economy Sector from additional excise duty was also praised by experts and consumer groups, who believed it would enhance the sector's growth and benefit the economy. The removal of the tax was welcomed by telecom consumer rights groups, who saw it as a positive step to encourage both foreign and local investors in Nigeria.