The Nigerian Government has scrapped the 5% excise duty on telecommunications services, a move expected to ease cost pressures for millions of mobile users nationwide.
Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Aminu Maida, announced that President Bola Tinubu ordered the tax removal during deliberations on the recently passed Finance Act.
According to the National Orientation Agency, which confirmed the decision via its official X handle on Thursday, the President’s intervention is aimed at preventing further financial strain on citizens while supporting the growth of Nigeria’s digital economy.
The move offers relief to more than 171 million active telecom subscribers, many of whom have endured a 50% tariff hike introduced earlier this year as part of government efforts to boost revenue. At the time, the Ministry of Finance defended the levy as being consistent with global taxation practices.
Telecom operators, under the Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), had strongly opposed the tax, warning it would be counterproductive in an industry already facing one of the heaviest tax burdens in sub-Saharan Africa.
The 5% levy, which applied to both voice calls and data, was introduced under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari but quickly drew criticism from industry players and consumer rights advocates.
With its removal, the NCC says subscribers can expect some relief from rising communication costs in the months ahead.
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