Telecom
Multiple Regulation, Taxation and Telecom Development
Operators in the telecommunications space of the country’s economy have not had peace of mind in the last six years in the process of service delivery as they are confronted with several challenges. Unfortunately, most of the challenges have little or no relationship with the process of service delivery. Operators are faced with security issues at base stations, unfriendly host communities, vandalization among others.
In view of all these that operators took measures to address some of the issues which are distracting them from their main business of service delivery. Among some of the initiatives are adoption of collocation, and outsourcing of base stations to infrastructure providers.
As these initiatives were gradually addressing the known problem that other challenges began raising their head, and they are multiple regulation and taxation.
In a federal system there are issues reserved for either federal or state to legislate on and the ones both have power to regulate. In the case of telecommunications, it is the federal that has exclusive right to regulate the industry which led it into establishing a Commission in the name of Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) backed with an act to effectively perform that function.
However, events in the recent past suggest that other federal government agencies as well as states are now making effort to usurp NCC’s function in the telecommunications industry which is unknown to the country’s law.
It has become a common practice for any government agency be it federal or state to solicits for one levy or the other from operators while some seek that operators secure approval from them which comes with a fee before they can build infrastructure.
It is not telecommunications operators that are lamenting over multiple taxation, operators in the manufacturing sector have continued to call for a lasting solution to the problem of multiple taxation in the country. According to them, if the problem is not addressed, business will continue to suffer,
With the challenges of poor infrastructure which is killing business in one hand and the headache of multiple taxation have been identified as another major threat to manufacturers and investors.
Speaking on the implication of multiple taxation, Otunba Femi Deru, President, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said that as government empowered Local Government to enact law that will create a situation were they will generate revenue, those laws as vehicle license, radio, television among others as law that had affected business negatively, adding that these taxes are becoming rampant and hindrance to business development in the country.
Dr. Emmanuel Ekuem, immediate past president of the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (Atcon) called on the government to discourage multiple taxation which is currently the bane of telecom operators in the country.
He said a situation in which operators in the telecoms industry were seen as cash cows should be a thing of the past.
He reasoned that government in the land should note that telecoms business attracts operational cost and that when the number of taxes paid by the operators increase just because all tiers of government want their various shares of the “cake,” it engenders less profits for the operators and compromise quality of service.
Mr. Ayodele Adigun, President, Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria, said that multiple taxation in Nigeria militated against standard taxation practice, which is unhealthy for economic development.
He blamed the activities of quacks in the system for this situation and also described the practice as an evil one, noting that the institute was all out to combat this trend.
According to him, CITN was championing professional taxation practice in the country and also organising an awareness campaign to sensitize the public on the need to voluntary pay approved taxes.
He added that multiple tax and poor infrastructure had also made the environment extremely inclement and uncompetitive for locally made goods against those from other nations.
This situation has got to an alarming rate that operators took the issue to Labaran Maku, Minister of State for Information and Communications, where a representative of Zain, Tobe Okigbo, expressed sadness over the multiple taxation and harsh treatment meted to them by the local government and state officials.
He further maintained that about 14 of the company’s base stations were shut in Rivers State over taxes.
Responding to the concerns raised by operators, the minister said that taxes would not be withdrawn emphasizing the need to pay tax for the government to be able to provide the enabling environment that will enhance the growth of the telecom sector. “Tax must be paid. The issues of quality of service and number portability have been the priority of the Federal Government”, he said.
"Under my own leadership, am not here to reinvent the wheel. I am here to sustain the good work being done and improve on it by offering very, very transparent, honest and committed leadership that will enable us, the regulators, government, Telecommunication companies and other stakeholders to work as a team and as a family. Whatever you do must translate to quality and add value to the Nigerian society and the end users in the street", he added.
It is unfortunate that officials from government quarters seem not to understand the issue of multiple but are looking at it as tax evasion. The issue is clear and does not need interpretation. Operators are not saying that they won’t pay tax to government and its relevant authorities but duplication of the same tax which they have already paid to government at the federal or state levels is inimical and put pressure on them. The question is, how can one reconcile a situation where a telecom operator whose services are controlled by federal government pays relevant taxes or levies to federal and state governments, and are also forced to pay similar taxes not approval levy by local governments.
As operators are seeking ways to address the issue of multiple taxation that another government agency, National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (Nesrea) came out with Environmental Impact Assessment for base stations of telecom operators.
The agency has given operators deadline of August 21 this year to obtain this license which comes with a fee for their towers.
Dr. Ngeri Benebo, director general of the agency, who met with telecomm operators in Abuja, said that the incessant environmental degradation is not acceptable even with the benefits of telecommunication in Nigeria.
She charged the operators to come up with individual code of practice that will guide the overall operations of their companies to protect the environment.
She said in the days and months to come, defaulting telecommunication operators, those involved in illegal shipment of hazardous products and wastes, dealers in endangered species, and industries without effective plan for effluent discharges, will face the wrath of the law. This according to her is because the new institutional mechanism to curb environmental degradation is now geared to prevent such abuses.
And to underscore its strong resolve, the agency has already shut down two operating base stations of known telecommunication giants. It has also confiscated products made from endangered species within the Federal Capital City Territory, Abuja.
Thereafter, Mr. Sule Oyofo, spokesperson of the agency in a statement said "there is no more hiding place for perpetrators" in the quest to curb environmental abuses.
Oyofo said as a prelude, retreated the earlier three months ultimatum to telecommunication operators to align their operations according to the dictates of the law.
"I want the inventory and audit of your mast/base stations nationwide within three months," Mrs. Benebo had ordered at a recent consultative forum.
Mr. John Odey, Minister of Environment, had in September, last year, at an interactive session hosted by Nesrea and NCC sought the cooperation of the telecommunications operators to explore options towards safer and better environment-friendly telecommunications operations in the country.
He stated that the agency had at the forum informed the operators about the growing concerns and increasing public complaints their actions pose to human health, safety of property and the environment.
Oyofo, however, regretted that months after that meeting, nothing has changed as Nesrea headquarters, zonal and state offices have continued to be bombarded with public complaints regarding the proliferation and indiscriminate installation of masts and base stations with their attendant environmental, safety and health implications.
It is worthy to note that of all those complains Nesrea claimed it has received from members of the public most probably base on their ignorant of any health implications of such infrastructure, it has not taken the pain to verify if those living close to the base stations are suffering from any sickness associated with emissions from the base stations. But, rather it is interested in forcing operators to conduct and obtain impact assessment which NCC has given them before such base stations are built which amounts to double regulation.
NCC has a department that enforces standard in the manner operators build their infrastructure, instead of Nesrea liaising with that department of NCC to ensure that those issues it said are raised by the public; it is now enforcing its order on companies that are not under its regulatory jurisdiction.
The most worrisome is the way it is going about its enforcement. Last week federal government withdrew the license she gave MTN to build infrastructure in the country which is the fallout of Nesrea disagreement with the telecom operator over environment impact assessment.
In view of all these that stakeholders who spoke to Nigeria CommunicationsWeek are calling for streamlining of regulations in the telecommunications industry as well as harmonization of relevant levies in order not to destroy and discourage investment in the sector which is expected to boom with the envisage abundance of bandwidth occasioned by the landing of undersea cables in the country.
Karl Toriola, chief executive officer, MTN Nigeria, has stated that the telecom company is “a Nigerian company through and through,” emphasising that it belongs as much to Nigerians as to its global investors, with over 11 million Nigerians holding indirect stakes through pension funds.
Toriola also defended the federal government’s approval of telecom tariff adjustments, noting that the move helped prevent a financial crisis in the sector and enabled the company to ramp up capital expenditure to about N1 trillion in 2025 to improve network quality.
Speaking during an interview on Arise News, the MTN boss dismissed claims that the company is solely South African, despite its origins.
According to him, MTN Nigeria is incorporated locally, listed on the Nigerian Exchange, pays taxes in Nigeria, and is largely managed by Nigerians.
“We are labelled as a South African company because MTN Group was founded in South Africa. But the reality is that MTN Group has a very diverse global shareholding. Only about 50 percent of the shareholding is African, while the rest is held by investors from North America, Europe, the United Kingdom, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific,” he said.
Speaking further on MTN Nigeria’s identity, Toriola stressed the company’s deep roots in the Nigerian economy.
“MTN Nigeria is a Nigerian company through and through. We are domiciled in Nigeria. We are listed on the Nigerian Exchange. We pay all the taxes, duties and levies expected of us, and we are run by Nigerians.
“I am Nigerian. Apart from one executive, every member of our executive committee is Nigerian, while our entire expatriate workforce in Nigeria is just four people.
“We have over 201,000 retail investors, while about 11 million Nigerians own MTN shares indirectly through pension funds. We are very proud of our Nigerian identity,” he stated.
On the recent telecom tariff adjustment, Toriola said the increase was driven by necessity rather than profit motives, noting that operators were struggling to meet basic financial obligations before the review.
“People perceived the tariff increase as an aspiration for profitability, but the reality was that we were on our knees financially. We couldn’t even pay our month-to-month bills with the revenues we were generating. The tariff adjustment was an absolute necessity. It enabled us to stay alive,” he said.
He added that the improved revenue base has enabled MTN to scale up infrastructure investments to enhance service delivery.
“In the first quarter of this year alone, we spent N390 billion on capital expenditure, compared with a profit after tax of N359 billion. That shows our commitment to improving quality of service,” he said.
Addressing concerns over poor network quality, Toriola attributed the challenges to increasing demand, infrastructure gaps, vandalism, insecurity, and unreliable power supply.
“There are people who deliberately pour petrol into our manholes and set them on fire. A single incident can knock out services for millions of subscribers. We also face security challenges that prevent our engineers from quickly accessing some sites.
“In addition, we operate about 18,000 sites nationwide, each requiring generators, batteries, rectifiers and constant fuelling because of inadequate public electricity supply. All these affect quality of service,” he explained.
While acknowledging that service quality still needs improvement, he assured customers of continued investment.
“We are not perfect, but we are investing aggressively and continuously striving to do better,” he added.
On allegations that telecom operators deliberately deplete customers’ data, Toriola said findings often point to background data usage by smartphone applications.
“There is a perception that MTN goes and takes customers’ data, but our studies have shown repeatedly that background applications are consuming much of that data.
“I encourage customers to check their device settings. Daily automatic backups are unnecessary for many users. If possible, carry out backups over Wi-Fi instead of mobile data,” he advised.
MTN Nigeria celebrated its 2026 edition of the 25 Days of Y’ello Care employee volunteerism initiative with an impact showcase held at the MTN Rooftop, Ikoyi, on Wednesday, June 24, 2026.
MTN Nigeria
This year’s edition saw employees move beyond financial donations to invest their time, skills, and even their blood [donations] into underserved communities across the country.
The impact showcase served as a reflection point on weeks of intensive outreach, including the recent medical intervention at Badore Market in Ajah, where traders received free screenings for hypertension, diabetes, and other non-communicable diseases which schools benefit from and many more.
Hundreds of market women, artisans, and residents benefited from on-the-spot consultations, medications, and health education sessions led by MTN staff volunteers.
In Lagos, the initiative brought critical health and wellness resources directly to the youth at Kuramo Senior College. Volunteers led intensive health awareness campaigns and structured medical outreach programmes, equipping students with vital information on preventive care and personal well-being.
Simultaneously, the regional execution extended to the nation’s capital to support the busy transit community at Utako Motor Park in Jabi, Abuja.
This regional activation targeted transport workers and commuters with the “Know Your Numbers” campaign, providing accessible basic health screenings, general wellness education, and essential medical checkups designed to promote long-term preventive healthcare.
Setting the tone for the ceremony, Ayham Moussa, Chief Operating Officer, MTN Nigeria, praised the dedication of staff volunteers who consistently showed up across the campaign’s field activations. “From day one, we said we don’t just give money we sacrifice, we put in the effort, we go to the field, and we even give our blood.
“Not many companies are doing what we are doing today. We are one of the very few making this kind of big impact,” he said.
Building on that sentiment, Odunayo Sanya, Executive Director of the MTN Foundation, celebrated the cultural shift the initiative has triggered both inside and outside the organisation. “The greatest takeaway from Y’ello Care is that it confronts you with your privilege and helps you channel that privilege in the right direction.
“Someone told me today that she never knew MTN would do these kinds of things in the market. We are changing the narrative of what MTN means to communities,” she noted.
The impact showcase ultimately reinforced that Y’ello Care is a sustained movement embedded in MTN Nigeria’s corporate culture. With healthier markets, empowered communities, and inspired employees as visible proof of impact, the company signaled that its commitment to equitable health and social good will continue well beyond the 25 days shaping a future where business and purpose remain inseparable.
As teens spend more time online connecting, creating, and exploring their interests, safety needs to be built into their digital experiences.
To ensure safe, age-appropriate online experiences for teens, Meta has Teen Accounts to give parents more peace of mind and address their top concerns: making sure teens see age-appropriate content and don’t experience unwanted contact.
Here are 10 ways Teen Accounts are helping create safer and more positive online experiences for young people.
Teen Accounts Are Private by Default: Teen Accounts automatically come with private settings enabled. This means teens must approve new followers, and people who don’t follow them cannot view or interact with their content. And with Teen Accounts teens under 16 need a parent’s permission to change any settings to be less strict.
Stricter Messaging Controls Reduce Unwanted Contact: Teen Accounts are automatically placed in the strictest messaging settings, allowing messages only from people teens already follow or are connected to.
Sensitive Content Is Limited Automatically: Teens are automatically enrolled in Teen Accounts and defaulted into 13+ age appropriate content settings, These settings help create a more age-appropriate experience by limiting exposure to sensitive content such as violence, graphic imagery or content promoting cosmetic procedures. Teens also won’t be able to follow, message or see accounts that regularly share age-inappropriate content, or whose profile photo, name or bio suggests the account may not be suitable for younger users.
Protections Against Bullying Are Built In: Meta automatically enables its strongest anti-bullying protections for Teen Accounts. Hidden Words filters offensive language from comments and message requests, helping create a more positive experience.
Tagging and Mentions Are More Controlled: To reduce unwanted interactions, teens can only be tagged or mentioned by people they already follow.
Screen Time Reminders Encourage Healthier Habits: After 60 minutes of daily usage, teens receive reminders encouraging them to take a break from the app and spend time offline.
Sleep Mode Supports Better Digital Wellbeing: Teen Accounts automatically switch to Sleep Mode between 10 PM and 7 AM, muting notifications and sending automatic replies to direct messages overnight.
Parents Can See Who Their Teens Are Chatting With: While parents cannot read their teen’s messages, supervision tools allow them to view who their teen has messaged over the previous seven days, creating greater transparency while respecting privacy.
Parents Can Set Time Limits and Usage Schedules: Parents can establish daily Instagram usage limits and block access during specific times, such as school hours, study periods, or overnight.
Family Center Gives Parents Resources and Support: Meta’s Family Center brings all parental tools across Instagram, Facebook, and Messenger into one hub, so parents can manage and supervise their teen’s experiences more easily. Parents can also see the topics their teen has chosen to explore, and access expert-backed resources to help them have meaningful conversations about being online.
Building Safer Digital Experiences Together
Teen Accounts are designed to help parents feel more confident about their teens’ online experiences while empowering young people to connect, create, and discover content in age-appropriate ways. Combined with parental supervision tools, Family Center resources, and digital literacy initiatives, Teen Accounts represent Meta’s ongoing commitment to creating safer online spaces for young people and their families.
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