Telecom
Step Down 9% Service Tax Bill, Telecoms Industry Overtaxed- ATCON

The Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) has commended the Lagos Chamber of Commerce & Industry’s (LCCI) dialogue session on the Proposed 9% Communication Services Tax Bill, adding that the industry is strictly against the moves by the Federal Government.
Olusola Teniola, President of the Association, said that they were happy to identify with the strategic initiative by LCCI to protect investments made in the telecom industry from undue pressure from the government in the form of yet additional burden on the members that are already overtaxed by all tiers of government through AOL, VAT, RoW (s), Levy permits, duties etc.
Teniola who was speaking at the event on Wednesday said that 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, adding that the industry which is heavily taxed already would prefer the Bill is stepped down.
“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”.
Proposed Tax & ATCON Position
He said that ATCOn recognizes 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 8% 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.
ATCON’s Reasons
“Decrease in the Inflow of FDI to the Sector: The general rule of investment or principle of investment is that institutional Investors will take their investible funds to countries where the tax rate is low or lowest. As we all know that Nigerian telecoms subscribers are already paying tax because VAT is embedded in calls made and data consumed”.
He warned that if the bill sails through it would reduce the subscribers’ consumption of data and reduce length of a voice call, this will result in drop in revenue that would accrue to telecoms operators which will in turn reduce the contribution of the sector to our GDP.
“The Return on Investment (ROI) would be badly affected as a result of the above illustrations. Nigeria as a nation needs a lot of investible funds to build infrastructural facilities and provide employment for her teeming population and especially our growing youth. As we know that Nigeria’ telecom industry still needs circa 50,000 base stations to be able to improve on Quality of Service and to reach the unserved and underserved parts of the nation.
“ATCON’s position is that whatever we are doing as a nation must not be done to deter investors from staking their hard earned money on the Nigerian telecommunications businesses, in other words, our policies must continue to be investment friendly. It has been established that revenue from voice is still significant and it must be stressed here that the investment that is required to deepen the penetration of Broadband in Nigeria is much greater than the one we used to provide voice telephony. In view of this, the said Communications”.
According to Teniola, the Service Tax bill should be stepped down so as to encourage investors and make the sector more attractive for foreign direct investors.
He said that ATCON is working with other relevant agencies to increase the Foreign Direct Investment to the sector which is highly capital intensive, hence this cannot be achieved if the government is considering introducing Communications Services Tax, which will deter further investments to be made.
Loss/Erosion of Innovation and Creativity
“ATCON considers the proposed Communications Services Tax bill unnecessary and prohibitive because the operators in the sectors are already faced with multiplicity of taxation. Imposition of Communications Services Tax bill could stifle innovation and creativity in the sector and this would automatically reverse the gains already made in the past decade. This might lead to increase in unemployment, decrease in revenue accruable to government which would heighten the county’s poverty level.
Telecoms Services Unavailability in Some States
“Governments at all levels have at one time or the other have expressed the need to gear up the use of ICT to grow and develop their various constituencies. The application of the proposed Communications Services Tax would definitely be a clog in the wheel of roll out of broadband services for the development of the nation-Nigeria. It means that telecommunications services would not be available in some state of the federation.
Speeds-up Chronic Recession
“The high taxation takes so much away from both the telecoms operators and subscribers that little or nothing is left to run the business. If government tries to boost the economy with increased government spending, the result is stagflation (simultaneous high inflation and unemployment) instead of prosperity. The only cure for stagflation is to cut both taxes and government spending.
“ATCON believes any action that has the potential to derail the telecoms industry should be avoided by all tiers of government in Nigeria as the benefits of imposing a Communication Service Tax on telecoms subscribers are far lower than the revenue that it is going to create for the government. In view of this and other reasons enumerated above, the Association’s position is that the proposed Communications Service Tax bill should be stepped down.
Telecom
NCC Expands IPv6 Board with the Appointment of Olusola Teniola, Funke Opeke Others

Olusola Teniola, ipNX Director has been named to the newly inaugurated IPv6 Council Board by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), as part of a broader industry effort to accelerate Nigeria’s transition to Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6).

The inauguration, which took place in Ikeja, Lagos, underscores the Commission’s renewed commitment to accelerating Nigeria’s transition to Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6), a critical enabler of the country’s digital future.
Mr. Teniola joins a distinguished group of industry leaders, including Funke Opeke, Muhammed Rudman (Chairman), Chris Uwaje (Vice Chairman), Mary Uduma, Gbenga Adebayo, Lanre Ajayi, and Latif Ladid, alongside representatives from key regulatory and government institutions.
Speaking on his appointment, Teniola expressed appreciation to the NCC for the opportunity to serve and reiterated the importance of collaborative action in driving Nigeria’s digital transformation.
“The transition to IPv6 is no longer a future consideration; it is an immediate priority for Nigeria’s digital economy. As data consumption grows and emerging technologies such as 5G, IoT, and AI become more pervasive, we must ensure that our underlying infrastructure is scalable, secure, and globally competitive,” he said.
He further emphasized that achieving meaningful IPv6 adoption will require strong alignment across stakeholders, including telecom operators, internet service providers, enterprises, academia, and government.
“This is a collective responsibility. We must invest in capacity building, drive awareness, and create the right policy and regulatory environment to accelerate adoption. Nigeria cannot afford to lag behind in an increasingly connected world.”
The IPv6 Council Board has been tasked with developing and overseeing the implementation of a national IPv6 strategy, monitoring progress, and providing periodic updates on adoption levels across the country. The Council will also play a key role in addressing infrastructure challenges, strengthening technical expertise, and recommending policy incentives to support nationwide deployment.
Teniola’s appointment reflects ipNX’s continued commitment to shaping Nigeria’s digital ecosystem and advancing the development of resilient, future-ready network infrastructure across the country.
Telecom
QNET, Manchester City Host Football Clinic for Young Talents in Ghana

In a transformative initiative focused on youth empowerment, talent development and community impact, QNET, an international wellness and lifestyle company and a decade-long Official Direct Selling Partner of Manchester City , has successfully hosted an elite football clinic in Accra for 25 promising young Ghanaian footballers aged 7 to 11.

QNET
Delivered by official Manchester City coaches from 21 to 24 May 2026, the football clinic brought together talented young boys and girls from different communities across Ghana at AIS School Park, East Legon, for a unique opportunity to receive world-class football coaching, mentorship and life-skills training inspired by one of the world’s leading football clubs.
For many of the participants, the experience represented more than football. It was an opportunity to dream bigger, build confidence and believe that through hard work, discipline and determination, young Ghanaians can achieve their full potential both on and off the pitch.
Football holds a special place in Ghanaian culture and identity, inspiring generations of young people across the country. Through this initiative, QNET and Manchester City Football Club aimed to contribute meaningfully to the future of youth development in Ghana by creating an inclusive platform where children can learn, grow and thrive regardless of their background.
Trevor Kuna, Chief of Network Development at QNET said, “Football does something that few things can — it cuts across language, background and circumstance and gives young people a common language of ambition. When you watch these children on the pitch, you see not just their talent but their hunger to grow, to prove themselves, to be seen. At QNET, we believe that hunger deserves to be met with opportunity, and that is exactly what this clinic is about.”
The clinic focused not only on football skills and tactical development, but also on teamwork, leadership, discipline, perseverance and self-belief, values that are essential both in sport and in life.
Cherif Abdoulaye, QNET’s Deputy Regional General Manager for Sub-Saharan Africa, said,“,“When QNET took this initiative to Nigeria in 2023, we saw first-hand what happens when young people are given access to world-class coaching in their own communities — it shifts something in how they see themselves and what they believe is possible. Bringing it to Ghana felt like the natural next step. Ghana has a football culture that runs deep, and a new generation ready to carry it forward. We are proud that QNET and Manchester City can be part of that story.”
Philipa Harrison, Partnerships Marketing Manager for City Football Group’s MENA region, said “Over the past few days, we have witnessed tremendous passion, energy and commitment from these young players. This football clinic is about helping young people develop their abilities, enjoy the game and believe in what they can achieve in the future. We are proud to partner with QNET to bring this experience to young players in Ghana.”
For more than 10 years, QNET has been the Official Direct Selling Partner of Manchester City Football Club. QNET has also maintained a longstanding partnership with the Confederation of African Football (CAF), supporting major African interclub competitions including the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup.
These partnerships reflect QNET’s broader commitment to youth empowerment, community engagement, and the development of sports across Africa.
Beyond its sports and community initiatives, QNET continues to champion ethical business practices, transparency and public education across its markets while working closely with stakeholders and authorities to address the misuse of its brand by unauthorised individuals.
Telecom
Telcos Mull Calculator to Address Data Depletion Complaints

Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) may introduce data calculator to enable users to measure their data usage and address complaints of rapid data depletion.

Data depletion is the rapid exhaustion of your internet data bundle before its expected expiration.
The data calculator is a tool that will show subscribers how their data is used daily.
Telecom operators, largely the MNOs, are already providing subscribers a daily report of data used the previous day, as part of directives from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to drive transparency.
According to a report by Nairametrics, an industry source confirmed the new measure, noting that subscriber complaints over data depletion have now become a major concern in the industry, as it undermines trust.
“An average subscriber believes their service provider steals their data once their data is exhausted before time or depletes faster than they expected, which is not true.
“Over the years, we have tried to enlighten subscribers on factors that could lead to the fast depletion of their data, which include smartphone functionality, among others.
“And now, we are looking at tools that could show the subscribers not just what they have used, but also how they have used it to further promote transparency,” the source said.
According to the source, operators are also intensifying their sensitisation campaigns to help subscribers understand why their data can run out quickly.
Recall that NCC carried out an audit about 24 months ago across the mobile networks and found out that there was “no major” issue of data depletion, contrary to claims and complaints by subscribers.
Findings showed that the major issue still concerns the types of mobile phones and the activities users perform on them.
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