Telecom
Pantami Rejects FG’s 5 Per Cent Excise Duty on Calls
Prof. Isa Ali Pantami, minister of communications and digital economy, has said that he will take steps to ensure that federal government reverse its decision to impose five per cent excise duty on calls.
Isa Ali Pantami, minister of Communication and Digital Economy
Recall that the federal government recently imposed five per cent excise duty on telecommunications services, as effort to generate revenue to fund the national budget in the face of dwindling oil revenue.
But at the maiden edition of the Nigerian Telecommunications Indigenous Content Expo on Monday, in Lagos, Pantami, said “Beyond, making our position known today, we will go behind the scene and go against any policy that will destroy the digital economy sector. This is a sector we cherish so much and we are ready to go to any extent, legitimately and legally to defend its interest,”.
The minister disclosed that the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) was not contacted officially, while faulting the ruling making process that didn’t involve the chairman of House Communications Committee.
He said, “We have not been contacted officially. If we were, we would have pleaded our case. As a minister and based on the provision of the constitution of Nigeria, session 148, we are exercising power of Mr president.
“When VAT was increased to 7.5 per cent, I was not consulted, I only heard the announcement and I think there is something questionable about the process. the same page with our national assembly members. They too were not consulted despite the fact that they are part of the committee.
Pantami said the recent 2020 Q2 Gross Domestic Product (GDP) Report, released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed that the Information Communications Technology (ICT) contributed an unprecedented 17.83 per cent to Nigeria’s total GDP, adding that the sector should be encouraged, and not discouraged by multiple taxation.
“You introduced excise duty to discourage luxury goods like alcohol. Broadband is a necessity. If you look at it carefully, Broadband contributes 2 per cent to 7.5 per cent to the economy. Imposing five per cent excise duty on operators will only bring hardship at this time, and that cannot be tolerated,” he averred.
Pantami however advised federal government to expand the scope, by taxing other sectors, while urging operators to come together and salvage the sector.
As efforts to support indigenous companies, the minister also tasked the Nigeria Office for Developing the Indigenous Telecom Sector (NODITS) to strictly enforce the National Policy for the Promotion of Indigenous Content in the Nigerian Telecommunications Sector.
The minister disclosed that the annual outflow of foreign exchange for the telecommunications sector amounts to approximately $2.16 billion, adding that this is a significant portion of the sector average annual budget and it is critical that this trend is reversed.
“There is also a higher percentage of foreigners among top management staff when compared with other staff, with Nigerians making up to 31 per cent, in relation to foreigners who make up to 69 per cent. For software, 77 per cent of software in use are foreign, while only 23 per cent are obtained locally
With the introduction of Travel Saga, a premium, fast-paced gaming experience that is currently live and accessible to customers on its network, Globacom has lifted the bar for mobile entertainment in the country.
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SHELT, a leading cybersecurity-as-a-service provider, has earned inclusion in the 2025 MSSP 250, the annual ranking of the world’s top 250 Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs) by MSSP Alert, a CyberRisk Alliance publication.
SHELT
The list evaluates firms on business performance, service breadth, and industry impact, spotlighting those excelling in growth, operational excellence, and advanced managed security amid rising cyber threats. Selection criteria include annual recurring revenue, profitability, workforce expansion, business growth, and the depth of managed security offerings.
SHELT’s recognition underscores its investments in scalable security operations, threat intelligence, and tailored managed services across multiple regions, enabling clients to navigate complex risk landscapes effectively.
“Being recognised in the MSSP 250 is a meaningful milestone for our team,” stated Youssef Abillama, CEO of SHELT. “It validates our focus on building practical, resilient security services that help organisations manage risk and respond effectively to today’s evolving cyber threats.”
The company hailed the honour as testament to its teams’ dedication and expertise worldwide, reaffirming commitment to enhancing capabilities and delivering trusted cybersecurity solutions.
Meta Platforms, owner of Facebook, has appointed Dina Powell McCormick, a former adviser to President Donald Trump, as its new president and vice chairman, bolstering its leadership amid aggressive AI and infrastructure expansion.
Dina Powell McCormick
The announcement, made on Monday, positions Powell McCormick – who recently stepped down from Meta’s board after eight months – to guide overall strategy, including multi-billion-dollar investments in data centres and global partnerships.
A Goldman Sachs veteran with 16 years in senior roles and prior stints as deputy national security adviser under Trump and in the Bush administration, she brings deep finance and international ties to the role.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg hailed her as “uniquely qualified” for the company’s next growth phase, while President Trump praised the move on Truth Social as a “fantastic choice”.
The hire signals Meta’s efforts to strengthen White House relations, following recent dinners with Trump and U.S. investment pledges worth hundreds of billions
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