Telecom
ATCON Visits Saraki, Warns of Dangers of ICT Tax Bill
Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) has again warned that the proposed plan by the federal government to impose a special tax of nine per cent for the use of communication services would only succeed in worsening the prevailing high cost of doing business in the country.
The group during a visit to Senator Bukola Saraki, President of the Senate, asked the federal government to drop the plan to tax every phone call made, text message sent and data used by Nigerians.
According to ATCON, the bill potentially creates and raises the issue of double taxation since Value Added Tax (VAT) Act already imposes tax of five per cent on the supply of goods and services, calling for the suspension of the bill to allow for the rapid growth of the telecommunications sector in line with the Nigerian National Broadband Plan.
A member of the ATCON delegation told Nigeria CommunicationsWeek that the visit was part of the Association’s advocacy against the 9% Communication Services Tax Bill already considered for passage at the Upper Chamber.
“ATCON”, the source said, “has not shifted ground on its position against the Communication Services Tax Bill. As an industry, we are strictly against the moves by the Federal Government.
“During the meeting, the ATCON President presented our case to His Excellency, Dr. Bukola Saraki, saying, look the growth of Information and Communication Technology during the last few years has been phenomenal and tremendous with positive impact on every aspect of human life, however, the industry which is heavily taxed already would prefer this Bill is not passed.
“There is no doubt that the emergence and liberalization of this sector has also impacted positively on revenue accruable to government , employment generation (both Direct and Indirect), Foreign Direct Investment (in tens of billions of dollars) and a host of other positives which time would not permit me to mention. What the industry needs now are more palliative and not more tax. It’s true government is looking for measures to generate more revenue, but this tax is not a better option.”
Before now, ATCON’s position has been that they recognize that, generally, taxation is one of the many ways through which governments all over the world generate income to be able to discharge their duties to the citizens, “Government at all levels make collections of taxes mandatory through enactment of policies. The contributions of the Communications sector was meagre some fifteen years ago but through the concerted efforts of some patriotic and dedicated experts in the telecommunications sector under the aegis of the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria who advocated for the liberalization of the sector, the sector is now contributing revenue of well over 10% to the nation’s GDP.
“ATCON believes any calculated actions that have potentials to stifle further contribution of the telecoms industry to our GDP must be avoided by all tiers of government in Nigeria as the perceived benefits of imposing a Communication Service tax on telecoms subscribers has the potential to erode if not destroy the achievements that have been made since the telecoms sector was liberated. We therefore advise both the House of Representatives and the Senate (the Legislative arm of government) to discontinue with the bill.
Also recently, Telecommunications groups which include, GSMA the industry association representing mobile operators worldwide; ALTON, representing the mobile operators of Nigeria; ATCON, the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria and NATCOMS, the National Association of Telecommunications Subscribers, expressed their grave concerns regarding the proposal, which is under consideration by the National Assembly.
The bill seeks to establish a 9% Communication Service Tax to be levied on charges payable by a user of an electronic communication service (i.e., SMS, voice calls, MMS, data usage) supplied by service providers.
According to the group, ‘If introduced, such tax will result in an increase in prices for consumers, which will have adverse impacts on the adoption of mobile services and industry investment, as well as counter-productive to the longer term national digital strategy objectives set by the government of Nigeria.
They further stated that: “the socio-economic impact of mobile penetration is now widely recognised. According to research conducted by the World Bank, a 10% increase in mobile broadband penetration in low to middle income countries leads to a 1.38% increase in GDP growth. Today, 83 million people in Nigeria have access to mobile services. With over half of the population without a mobile connection, affordability remains a key challenge to connect the unconnected, who are typically lower income population groups.
Further taxation on electronic communication services will hit lower income consumers the most, who are already struggling due to the adverse economic situation and increased price pressure and for whom affordable access to information and communication technology is critical to their social and economic inclusion. Moreover, this will result in a double taxation for consumers who already pay Value Added Taxes on telecommunications services.”
They added that in 2014, the mobile ecosystem contributed USD8.3 billion to the Nigerian economy. This they said is set to increase as penetration of voice and broadband services grows.
But, in a recent public forum in Lagos the federal government through Barrister Adebayo Shittu expressed hopes to generate more than N20bn monthly from communication service tax.
The Minister said, “We all know that the introduction of new taxes without harmonising existing ones will put pressure on the Nigerian tax system, making it unattractive to investors. “This may also be counter productive in the long run for our target broadband penetration.
“My focus on any tax regime will be to align any process that will stimulate the economy and also ensure that tax system is sufficient by widening the tax net and creating an effective framework for tax compliance to protect the poor and vulnerable in the society.”
Efforts to reach the ATCON President proved abortive however the executive secretary confirmed the visit, but said that a comprehensive report shall be made available later.
Modern messengers, such as WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal and others, are often used for illicit purposes. Kaspersky Digital Footprint Intelligence has conducted an in-depth monitoring of over 800 blocked cybercriminal Telegram channels between 2021 and 2024.
While a range of illegal activities continues to be hosted on the platform, its environment has become noticeably more challenging for sustained underground operations.
Telegram’s bot framework and other built-in features make for a low-effort ecosystem for the underworld.
A single bot can simultaneously manage queries, process cryptocurrency payments, and instantly deliver stolen bank cards, info-stealer logs, phishing kits, or DDoS attacks to hundreds of buyers per day, often without operator involvement.
Unlimited, non-expiring file storage eliminates the need for external hosting when distributing multi-gigabyte database dumps or stolen corporate documents. This frictionless automation naturally favours high-volume, low-price, low-skill offerings, such as leaked bank cards or other data, hosting malware, etc.
High-value, trust-dependent deals (for instance, zero-day vulnerability information) still remain on reputation-gated dark-web forums.
Kaspersky researchers found two clear trends related to illegal activities on Telegram. The average lifespan of shadow channels has increased, with the proportion of channels surviving over nine months more than tripling in 2023-2024 compared to 2021–2022. At the same time, Telegram’s blocking activity has risen significantly.
Monthly takedown figures recorded since October 2024 – even at their lowest – are comparable to the peak levels seen throughout 2023, and the overall pace continued to accelerate in 2025. This impedes malicious activities.
Other disadvantages of Telegram for cybercriminals include the lack of default end-to-end (E2E) encryption for chats, the inability to use their own servers for communication (due to the messenger’s centralised infrastructure), and closed server-side code, which makes it impossible to verify its functionality.
As a result, several established underground communities, including the nearly 9,000-member BFRepo group and the Angel Drainer malware-as-a-service operation, have already begun shifting primary activity to other platforms or proprietary messengers, citing repeated disruptions of their activities on Telegram.
“Fraudsters find Telegram a convenient tool for many malicious activities, but the risk-reward balance is clearly shifting. Channels are managing to stay online longer than a couple of years ago, yet the dramatically higher volume of blocks means operators can no longer count on long-term stability.
“When a storefront or service disappears overnight – and sometimes reappears only to be removed again weeks later – building a reliable business becomes much harder. We’re starting to see the early stages of migration as a direct consequence,” comments Vladislav Belousov, Digital Footprint Analyst at Kaspersky.
Galaxy Backbone Limited (GBB), the Federal Government’s leading ICT infrastructure and shared services provider, will mark its 20th anniversary in June 2026 with a grand celebration that reflects two decades of innovation, resilience, and national impact.
Since its inception in 2006, Galaxy Backbone has been at the heart of Nigeria’s digital transformation journey; building the technological foundation that supports modern government operations and public service delivery. What began as a bold vision to connect government has grown into a critical national platform that drives efficiency, transparency, collaboration and innovation across the public sector.
Over the last 20 years, GBB has helped redefine how government works. By providing secure connectivity, enterprise-grade data centre services, cloud platforms, and digital collaboration tools, Galaxy Backbone has enabled Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to move from fragmented, paper-based processes to more integrated, technology-driven systems.
This transformation has improved government-to-government coordination, strengthened engagement with businesses, and enhanced the delivery of services to citizens. Today, the digital infrastructure powered by Galaxy Backbone supports thousands of government users, hundreds of institutions, and critical national platforms that Nigerians rely on daily.
A key part of this journey has been the Federal Government of Nigeria’s investment, managed by GBB in robust national infrastructure, high-capacity and world class data centres, fibre-optic connectivity across multiple states, secure hosting services, and shared platforms that have helped government operate more efficiently and responsively. These contributions have played a pivotal role in Nigeria’s progress toward a more digital, agile and citizen-centered public service.
Galaxy Backbone’s impact has earned both national and global recognition. In 2025, the organisation was ranked first overall in the Federal Government Website Performance Scorecard, reflecting its commitment to excellence in digital service delivery. Internationally, GBB, a couple of years ago, received the prestigious United Nations Public Service Award, a testament to its leadership in promoting a whole-of-government approach to digital transformation.
As GBB celebrates two decades of service, this milestone is more than an organisational anniversary; it is a celebration of Nigeria’s digital evolution. It is an opportunity to appreciate how collaboration between government, industry partners, technology providers, and dedicated public servants has helped build a stronger, more connected nation.
The June 2026 anniversary celebration will bring together stakeholders from across the public and private sectors to reflect on the journey so far, acknowledge the partnerships that have shaped this success, and chart an ambitious course for the future. It will highlight how collective effort, shared vision, and innovation have positioned Galaxy Backbone as a strategic national asset.
Looking ahead, Galaxy Backbone remains committed to deepening digital transformation across the country; expanding infrastructure, strengthening cybersecurity, enhancing service delivery, and supporting the Federal Government’s drive for a smarter, more efficient and digitally empowered Nigeria.
At 20 years, Galaxy Backbone stands proud of its past, confident in its present, and inspired by the limitless possibilities ahead.
Galaxy Backbone Limited (GBB), Nigeria’s leading federal ICT infrastructure provider, has announced its 20th-anniversary celebration for June 2026, marking two decades since unifying government’s fragmented digital landscape into a secure national platform.
Galaxy Backbone
The announcement by Head of Media and Corporate Communications Chidi Okpala follows GBB’s top ranking in the 2025 Federal Government Website Performance Scorecard by the Bureau of Public Service Reforms, cementing its leadership in digital service delivery and transparency.
Managing Director Professor Ibrahim Adepoju Adeyanju described the milestone as celebrating Nigeria’s shift from paper-based silos to a cloud-first, integrated government. Achievements include the UN Public Service Award for 1-GOV.net, high-speed fiber deployment for G2G and G2B interactions, IPPIS payroll rollout, and pandemic-era digital support.
The June event will gather public-private stakeholders, global tech partners, and policymakers to unveil GBB’s next-decade roadmap emphasising cybersecurity, AI in public service, and rural connectivity.
GBB positions itself at the forefront of Nigeria’s 2030 digital nation drive, with 20 years of innovation signaling a smarter, connected future.
SEC Hikes Minimum Capital Requirements for Market Operators After a Decade
Study Shows Blocks in Telegram are Pushing the Underground Out
Galaxy Backbone Marks Two Decades of Powering Nigeria’s Digital Evolution
NGX Unveils Net-Zero Plan for Greener Capital Market
Galaxy Backbone Marks 20 Years, Tops FG Website Scorecard
Banks quietly move to enforce new ₦50 transfer levy from Jan. 1
FIRS says NIN, CAC Numbers to Serve as Tax IDs from 2026
Nigeria Police Arrest Okitipi, Nigerian Allegedly Linked to Microsoft 365 Hack
FIRS Declares NIN, CAC Numbers as Tax IDs from 2026
US Begins Partial Visa Ban on Nigerians January 1
E-Financial2 days agoAngst as FG Demands 7.5 Percent VAT on Mobile Bank Transfers, USSD
News2 days agoMoniepoint Launches Second Cohort of DreamDevs Initiative to Double Down on Africa’s Tech Talent Pipeline
E-Financial2 days agoNGX lists 3.156bn UBA shares, boosting capital to N513Bn
E-Financial2 days agoThe Missing Pieces in Nigeria’s Banking Recapitalisation
Telecom2 days agoGlo Unveils Immersive Gaming Experience, Travel Saga
E-Business2 days agoHalf of Global Companies Build SOCs to Enhance Cybersecurity, with a Focus on Human Expertise
General News2 days agoNITDA DG Reaffirms Nigeria–U.S. Partnership on Data Privacy, AI and Cybersecurity
E-Financial1 day agoPaystack Expands Beyond Payments into Banking