The Nigerian government has suspended a 5% excise duty on telecommunications services in the country.
This was confirmed by the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, on Monday.
Pantami announced this during the inaugural meeting of the presidential committee on excise duty for the digital economy sector in Abuja.
The minister said the sector is already overburdened by excessive and multiple taxations.
Pantami had faulted the government’s plan to implement the tax.
But Zainab Ahmed, minister of finance, budget and national planning, had insisted that the federal government would go ahead to implement the five percent excise duty on telecommunications services.
Ahmed noted that all relevant agencies, including the communications ministry, were informed of the implementation of the tax as approved by President Muhammadu Buhari.
“Against the comments by Isa Ali Pantami, honourable minister of communication and digital economy, concerning the five percent excise duty hike on telecoms services, it is worth noting that there was a circular stating the planned hike which was addressed to the communication minister and other relevant ministries and agencies of government,” she had said in a statement issued by the ministry.
“The circular Referenced No. F. 17417/VI/286, dated March 1, 2022, and titled “Approval for Implementation of the 2022 Fiscal Policy Measures and Tariff Amendments” was addressed to different ministers, including the honourable minister, communications and digital economy and other heads of government agencies.”
The finance minister also faulted Pantami’s disapproval, adding that he was involved in the Finance Act.
