NCC

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has permanently scrapped the controversial five percent tax on phone and internet services, bringing much-needed relief to Nigeria’s 172 million telecom users. Dr. Aminu Maida, who leads the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), announced this welcome news during a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday. He explained that what started as a temporary suspension last year has now become a complete removal. “The five percent excise duty is gone for good,” Maida said. “The President initially suspended it, but now he’s gone further and removed it entirely. I was really happy to see he followed through on his promise.” The telecom tax was introduced in 2022 under former President Muhammadu Buhari, sparking widespread complaints from Nigerians who were already struggling with high costs of living. Many feared it would make phone calls, text messages, and internet services even more expensive. Recognizing the burden this placed on ordinary citizens, President Tinubu suspended the tax in July 2023 shortly after taking office. Now, its complete removal provides permanent relief for millions of families who rely on affordable communication services. This decision will directly benefit Nigeria’s massive telecom user base, which includes 141 million internet users and 105 million people with broadband access. Without this extra tax, subscribers should see lower bills for their phone and data services. Maida emphasized that removing this financial burden will also help the telecom industry grow, which is crucial for Nigeria’s expanding digital economy. Beyond removing the tax, the communications commission is implementing several changes to better serve Nigerian phone users: Better Transparency: Starting in September, the NCC will publish a public map showing how well different networks perform across the country. This will include real data on internet speeds and service quality, helping people make informed choices about their phone providers. Regular Updates: The commission will also release quarterly reports on network performance based on actual subscriber experiences. Solving Key Problems: The NCC has made progress on several long-standing issues, including resolving payment disputes between banks and telecom companies, completing the process of linking phone numbers to national ID numbers, and creating a system for reporting major service outages. Many Nigerians have complained that their data bundles seem to finish too quickly. To investigate these concerns, the NCC hired independent accounting firms to conduct thorough audits. The results showed no evidence of companies deliberately stealing data, but identified several reasons why data might deplete faster than expected. Common causes include phone settings that automatically update apps in the background, social media videos that play automatically, and confusing pricing plans that make it hard for users to track their usage. To help address these issues, the NCC is working with the Central Bank of Nigeria to create clearer, more standardized ways for people to buy and manage their data bundles. The NCC’s consumer affairs team offered practical advice for making data last longer: Turn off automatic video playback on social media apps Prevent apps from using data in the background when you’re not actively using them Use Wi-Fi whenever possible instead of mobile data Monitor which apps use the most data and adjust their settings