Isa Pantami, minister of communications and digital economy, says the federal government has suspended a five percent excise duty on telecommunications services in Nigeria.

According to The Punch, Pantami announced this on Monday during the inaugural meeting of the presidential committee on excise duty for the digital economy sector in Abuja.

The minister said the sector is already overburdened by excessive and multiple taxations.

TheCable had reported that Pantami faulted the government’s plan to implement the tax.

But Zainab Ahmed, minister of finance, budget and national planning, had insisted that the federal government would go ahead to implement the five percent excise duty on telecommunications services.

Ahmed noted that all relevant agencies, including the communications ministry, were informed of the implementation of the tax as approved by President Muhammadu Buhari. 

“Against the comments by Isa Ali Pantami, honourable minister of communication and digital economy, concerning the five percent excise duty hike on telecoms services, it is worth noting that there was a circular stating the planned hike which was addressed to the communication minister and other relevant ministries and agencies of government,” she had said in a statement issued by the ministry.

“The circular Referenced No. F. 17417/VI/286, dated March 1, 2022, and titled “Approval for Implementation of the 2022 Fiscal Policy Measures and Tariff Amendments” was addressed to different ministers, including the honourable minister, communications and digital economy and other heads of government agencies.”

The finance minister also faulted Pantami’s disapproval, adding that he was involved in the Finance Act.

Yunusa Abdullahi, media aide to the finance minister, declined to speak on the matter.

“The statement is not from the finance minister and cannot speak on it,” he told TheCable.

The Cable