The Federal Government has revoked a contentious 5% excise tax on telecommunications services, including voice calls and data. The move, directed by President Tinubu and disclosed by the Nigerian Communications Commission’s Executive Vice Chairman, Aminu Maida, is expected to ease financial pressure on the country’s 171 million mobile users.
Many users had suffered under tariff increases earlier this year, some up to 50%, after the tax was introduced during the Buhari administration, a policy that drew sharp criticism from consumer groups and telecom industry stakeholders.
The timing of this policy reversal comes as governments worldwide face mounting public anger over perceived burdensome taxes and restrictions, especially among young people.
One striking recent example is Nepal, where a government-imposed social media ban and longstanding allegations of corruption sparked massive protests that left dozens dead and forced the resignation of the prime minister.
In Nepal, the ban on platforms like Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp was presented as a regulatory move aimed at curbing misinformation and requiring registration of companies. But citizens saw it as overreach and a restriction on free expression, just the trigger for a much deeper frustration over corruption, nepotism, economic disenfranchisement and high youth unemployment.
Nigeria’s tax removal may be similarly read in economic and political contexts. Here, cost of living is a constant pressure, especially for lower-income earners. Policies that increase ordinary users’ bills, like telecommunication levies, tend to carry political risk. By eliminating the tax, the government appears to be responding to economic pressures and public sentiment.
Still, analysts warn that removing one tax may not completely quiet public grievances if other costs or policies are seen as unfair. In both Nepal and Nigeria, the lesson may be that transparency, fairness, and responsiveness matter.
