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Nigerians to Pay More for Calls, Data as Telcos Mull Tariff Hike

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Nigerians may soon begin to pay higher tariffs on calls and data as the telecommunications companies in the country brace up for a new cyber security levy to be implemented by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

 

This is coming on the heels of a directive from the CBN to all banks on the collection of 0.005 per cent levy on all electronic transactions into a National Cyber Security Fund.

 

Mr. Olusola Teniola, president of the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), said the implementation of the levy is ill-timed, considering the fact that the telecom operators are currently battling with multiple taxation, which has risen from 26 in 2015 to 38 under the current administration

 

But CBN said it is execrsising powers from section 44 of the Cybercrime Prohibition and Prevention Act 2015, that “there shall be paid and credited into the Fund established under subsection (1) of this section and domiciled in the Central Bank of Nigeria: a levy of 0.005 per cent of all electronic transactions by the businesses specified in the second schedule to this Act.”

 

Businesses affected by this charge include GSM service providers – MTN, Glo, Airtel, 9Mobile etc. and all telecommunication companies; Internet service providers; banks and other financial institutions; insurance companies and Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE).

Mr. Olusola Teniola, president of the Association of Telecommunications Company of Nigeria (ATCON). Mr. Olusola Teniola

Teniola, said that “At this point, if the CBN decides to go ahead with the implementation, we will have no choice but to pass the cost to the subscribers. Nigerians should be ready to pay more for calls and data subscriptions,” he said.

 

Teniola added that with the additional burden, the operators might also consider downsizing their staff strength to stay afloat.

 

He said that  all its members have concluded that the only way to survive with the new levy is to increase tariff across board.

 

“The eventual implementation of this levy of 0.005 per cent would cripple, if not render useless government and private sector efforts to speed up the broadband penetration in Nigeria and our association has a mandate to protect the investment in the telecom industry from undue pressure from the government in the form of yet additional burden on our members that are already overtaxed by all tiers of governments,” the ATCON President added.


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FG Scraps 5 Percent Telecom Excise Duty Under New Tax Law

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Federal government has abolished the five per cent excise duty on telecommunications services, a levy that had long sparked public concern over rising costs for subscribers.

FG Scraps 5 Percent Telecom Excise Duty Under New Tax Law

Pic credit… Itedgenews

Aminu Maida,  executive vice chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), announced the development during an interactive session with journalists in Abuja on Tuesday.

Maida explained that the duty, which was earlier suspended, had now been completely removed by President Bola Tinubu under the new tax legislation.

“The excise duty, it was the 5 per cent or so, that is no longer there. Before it was suspended, but now the president has been magnanimous to remove it entirely. I was in a room when it was raised, and he said, No, no, no, we cannot put this on Nigerians. I was very pleased when the bills came out and we saw his words were followed through,” he disclosed.

Maida stressed that eliminating the charge would ease cost pressures on subscribers and enable wider industry growth.

He added that reforms within the sector were now guided by principles of transparency, accountability, and stronger consumer protection.

The EVC revealed that the regulator was moving beyond traditional rule-based supervision to incorporate behavioural economics, which includes providing more information for consumers and operators to make informed choices.

According to him, one key initiative is a nationwide public map of network performance, expected in September, that will provide independent data on download speeds, latency, and other service indicators.

“There will also be a quarterly network performance report based on user data. It extends accountability beyond mobile operators to also include infrastructure providers who play a critical role in reliability,” he said.

The NCC boss further emphasised the importance of corporate governance as a tool to attract investment and improve industry efficiency. He noted that the ultimate goal is to nurture a telecom company that is wholly Nigerian-owned, well-structured, and globally competitive.

He listed some of the NCC’s recent achievements, including the conclusion of the NIN-SIM audit, settlement of USSD debt disputes, transition to end-user billing, and the launch of a Major Incident Reporting Portal.

On call tariffs, he pointed out that competition had helped keep rates low, with the highest in the market today at about N18 or N19 per minute, compared to N50 per minute two decades ago.

Addressing frequent consumer complaints, he disclosed that the NCC and Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had developed a new framework to standardise electronic recharge processes. In addition, Tier-1 audit firms were hired to investigate billing systems after reports of unexplained data depletion.

The results, he said, showed no systemic manipulation. Instead, factors such as background applications, device settings, and complex tariff plans contributed to user dissatisfaction.

“We are not trying to punish anyone. We want the industry to grow, so consumers are happier, operators perform better, and the government benefits from a broader tax base,” Maida added.

 

 

 

 

 


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Roqqu, SiBAN Unite to Drive Blockchain Innovation Across Nigeria

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In a strategic move to propel the Nigerian blockchain ecosystem, Roqqu, a prominent digital finance and blockchain solutions provider, has officially partnered with the Stakeholders in Blockchain Technology Association of Nigeria (SiBAN).

This new alliance will leverage the combined expertise and resources of both organizations to foster innovation, drive development, and accelerate the adoption of blockchain technology across Nigeria.

The partnership comes shortly after Roqqu was welcomed into the SiBAN network as a corporate member, solidifying a joint commitment to building a more credible, transparent, and sustainable digital asset ecosystem.

The collaboration is designed to bridge the gap between rapid technological innovation and responsible adoption, while prioritizing user protection and ethical standards.

In a statement, the organizations detailed a range of initiatives to be launched as part of this collaboration, all aimed at promoting financial inclusion and responsible innovation.

Key initiatives to be carried out by the two organisations include jointly hosting events to educate both the public and industry professionals on blockchain technology, developing training programs to equip developers and the public with the skills needed to thrive in the blockchain space and actively engaging with regulators and policymakers to help shape a more informed and compliant blockchain community in Nigeria.

“We are delighted to have this collaboration. Our collective strength lies in the diversity and commitment that we both bring to the table and ultimately, contribute to the growth of the blockchain ecosystem,” said Obinna Iwuno, President of SiBAN in the statement.

Roqqu has seen remarkable growth in recent years, establishing itself as a leading force in making cryptocurrency and digital finance accessible. With a focus on providing fast, reliable, and user-friendly services, the company has expanded its footprint beyond Nigeria into other key African markets, including Ghana, Kenya, and South Africa. This expansion, along with a virtual currency license to operate in the European Economic Area (EEA), positions Roqqu as a truly international fintech company.

Reacting to the partnership, the Chief Compliance Officer of Roqqu, Roimot Ajiboye-Ibitoye, said partnering with SiBAN is a natural step to make blockchain technology and digital finance accessible, safe, and beneficial for everyone, insisting that together, the two organisations are not just talking about blockchain adoption. Rather, actively building the frameworks, trust, and education needed for it to thrive responsibly in Nigeria.

“This collaboration represents a united front between innovators and industry advocates to create a credible, transparent, and sustainable digital asset ecosystem. By combining our expertise with SiBAN’s strong advocacy and regulatory engagement, we are setting the stage for a future where blockchain becomes a trusted driver of financial inclusion and economic growth across the globe,” he said.

This partnership highlights a shared vision between Roqqu and associations like SiBAN that play a crucial role in bridging the gap between industry innovation and responsible adoption to ensure the benefits of blockchain are accessible to a wider audience, creating a safer and more robust future for digital finance in Nigeria.

SiBAN as a body provides a platform where stakeholders can share knowledge and experiences, where companies can engage in constructive policy discussions with regulators, where communities can learn about safe, responsible participation in the blockchain space and where businesses can collaborate on solutions that serve both economic and social development goals.

Industry watchers believe that this partnership highlights a shared vision of creating a credible, transparent, and sustainable digital asset ecosystem. By working together, Roqqu and SiBAN aim to bridge the gap between rapid technological innovation and responsible adoption, ensuring that the benefits of blockchain are accessible to a wider audience while prioritizing user protection and ethical standards.


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NCC Claims to Have Eliminated Unregistered SIMs from Telecoms Networks

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Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has said that it has successfully eliminated users of unregistered subscriber identity modules (SIM), from the Nigerian telecommunication network, a development that can boost national and cyber security.

NCC Claims to Have Eliminated Unregistered SIMs from Telecoms Networks

Eng. Aminu Maida, executive vice chairman of NCC,

Eng. Aminu Maida, executive vice chairman of NCC, who disclosed the information at a media briefing in Abuja on Monday, said, however, that it was beyond the scope of the agency to control the names with which some customers used in registered their SIMs.

The NCC CEO pointed out that while the commission had successfully removed unregistered SIMs from its network, some strange names being attached to some of the subscribers reflect what the owners used while registering with their operators.

“No unregistered SIM is operating on the network as of today, but there may be people using names they did not register with, apparently to mask their identities. We cannot control the names attached to each SIM, as they reflect what the owners used at the time of registration with their respective operators,” the EVC said.

“While NCC cannot control that behaviour, it is to be noted that it is an offence to use fake names to make or receive calls in Nigeria,” Maida warned.

The EVC, however, said that the commission has put necessary measures in place to ensure sanity and stability in the industry so that every user can determine the best network operator to patronise based on performance, service delivery and charges.

He said the commission would, in September this year, launch a public map to show subscribers which of the telecoms networks provides the best service and tariff plan to determine which to patronise based on their locations.

Mr. Maida said for the industry to make the required progress and serve the interests of the people, there is a need for a fresh injection of capital from outside the industry, adding that the commission had already revised a series of good governance guidelines to guide operators in the industry.

According to him, the guidelines are aimed at promoting transparency, accountability and boosting investors’ confidence and customers’ trust in the industry.

He said, “The need for good corporate governance guidelines requires that operators in the industry must provide audited reports to boost investors’ confidence and earn the trust and confidence of their customers”.

The ECV explained that the commission approved the recent tariff hike for the industry due to the fact that there had not been any cost-reflective tariff adjustment for a decade, adding that the commission was mindful of the need to protect the interests of both the operators and Nigerian subscribers.

On the issue of threats to telecoms infrastructure nationwide, the EVC announced that he would soon meet with governors to discuss the need for them to team up with NCC to protect telecoms infrastructure in their domains and to also eliminate multiple taxes on the operators so as to improve service delivery and ensure national security.


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