Telcos in trouble over multiple taxes- NCC

Prof. Umar Danbatta, executive vice chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), has lamented that multiple taxation and regulation, constraints in securing approval for right of way (RoW) and others were taking tolls on the quality of telecoms services across the country.

Speaking when he visited Governor Ibikunle Amosun at Oke Mosan Governor’s Office in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, he said cases of multiple taxation constitute threat to the operations and survival of the industry, appealing to Amosun to prevail on his colleague in Nigerian Governors’ Forum to lessen the crippling burden of multiple taxation on them.

This, he argued, the operators see as grossly excessive and at times inappropriate. He said, “There have been recurring cases of multiple taxation which threaten the operators and by extension telecommunications services.

“There have also been issues of Right of Way approvals to telecoms companies. Various tiers of government including local councils and state government agencies have created enormous challenges to the sector.

“The operators are in a dilemma. And because of this, expansion of the networks is heavily stifled.”

Danbatta noted that unless these challenges were tackled with pragmatic approach, subscribers in the country will continue to witness erratic services.

He appealed to governor Amosun to help plead with his colleagues in the NGF, to find a permanent solution to these challenges.

In his response, Governor Amosun promised to talk with other governors in the NGF on the need to harmonise taxes payable by telecom operators.