President Bola Tinubu has scrapped the planned five per cent excise duty on telecommunications services in Nigeria.
Dr. Aminu Maida, Executive Vice-Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), disclosed the decision at a media briefing in Abuja on Tuesday, August 19, 2025.
The NCC boss said: “The 5% excise duty is no longer in effect. Initially, it was only suspended, but President Tinubu has now completely removed it.
“I was present when the issue was raised, and he firmly said, ‘No, we cannot place this burden on Nigerians.’ I was very pleased to see that this directive was upheld in the new legislation.”
The excise levy, previously suspended in 2023, has now been officially removed under revised national tax laws.
Dr. Maida quoted President Tinubu to have said that the government wouldn’t burden Nigerians with the tax.
The duty had faced strong opposition from industry stakeholders and consumers, who argued it would increase the cost of living and limit access to communication services.
When the National Assembly proposed reinstating the tax in October 2024, the telecom sector resisted, citing concerns over service affordability and sector growth.
The Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) had also expressed concerns that the excise duty would hinder reliable internet access, vital to Nigeria’s economy.
With the tax now scrapped, the move is expected to bring relief to consumers and boost the telecom sector.
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