Telecom
Subscribers Urge FG, Telcos to Halt Implementation of New Taxes on Phone Calls
Association of Telephone, Cable TV and Internet Subscribers of Nigeria (ATIC) has appealed to the Federal Government and telecom providers not to implement their new taxes due to their ripple effect on subscribers.
Sina Bilasanmi, national president of ATIC told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Lagos that subscribers would be overburdened with the high cost of making calls should they implement the taxes.
NAN reported that on March 31, telecom providers planned 40 percent increment on services that included voice calls, SMS and data while the government imposed a N90.4 billion tax on telecom providers.
The Association of Licensed Telecommunication Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) said the 40 per cent increment was due to the rising cost of doing business.
The Federal Government said the N90.4 billion tax would be equivalent to a minimum of one kobo per second for phone calls.
The government said the tax would enable it to fund the National Health Insurance Authority Bill 2021 signed by President Muhammadu Buhari, last week.
The government said Nigerians made 150.83 billion minutes of calls in 2020, which translated to 9.05 trillion seconds of calls, meaning the new tax will generate 9.05 trillion kobo, which converted to N90.49 billion, yearly.
Bilasanmi said both taxes should not be implemented now because telecom providers had not perfected their services to warrant such 40 per cent increment.
He said the N90.4 billion tax would lead to untold hardship on subscribers who had issues of drop calls, undelivered messages, among others, to settle with telecom providers.
“The tax by the Federal Government means that the telecom will now increase tariff; a tariff the association is willing to prevent.
“We urge the Federal government and telecom providers to stop the unwanted increment as this will bring more burden on subscribers.
“If the telecom operators must increase tariff, subscribers must be involved in the process to ensure the vulnerable in the society are protected,” he said.
Telecom
Celebrating African Creativity: Made by Africa, Loved by the World’ Returns for Its Fifth Year
The “Made by Africa, Loved by the World” campaign is back for its fifth year, celebrating African creativity and global influence. This year’s theme, “Where Culture Meets Connection,” highlights how social media fosters conversations around cultural moments worldwide.
The campaign features three cinematic films premiering on the Meta Africa page, showcasing the groundbreaking work and personal stories of six dynamic African creatives.
These artists, from Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, and South Africa, represent diverse disciplines, including rap, animation, dance, photography, fashion, and videography.
Here are some of the featured talents:
- Ladipoe (Nigeria) – A BET-nominated rapper known for blending global hip-hop with African rhythms.
- Fatboy Animations (Kenya) – An animation studio founded by Michael Muthiga, recognized by Forbes for its original African storytelling.
- Lisa Quama (Ghana) – A dancer who gained fame after appearing in Beyoncé’s “Already” music video.
- Gilbert Asante (Ghana) – A photographer and creative director featured in GQ and Glam Africa.
- David Tlale (South Africa) – A fashion designer whose bold designs have been showcased at major fashion events, including the Met Gala.
- Ofentse Mwase (South Africa) – A filmmaker with over 24 international awards for his unique visual storytelling.
Kezia Anim-Addo, Communications Director for Africa, Middle East & Turkey, emphasized that the campaign not only celebrates individual success stories but also showcases how culture and social media drive meaningful connections and inspiration.
Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), has raised the alarm over a diesel supply crisis caused by an ongoing strike by the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG).
Mr Tony Emoekpere, president, ATCON in a statement said that the fuel supply disruption is critically affecting telecom base stations, pushing them to the brink of a shutdown and threatening millions of mobile and internet users in the region.
“This strike, which stems from the persistent harassment of tanker and petroleum product drivers by police officers in Lagos State, has effectively halted all truck loading operations and fuel movements,” Emoekpere stated.
He explained that diesel supply to telecom infrastructure has been severely impacted, leaving critical sites with dangerously low fuel levels.
According to him, if urgent measures are not taken, the situation could escalate into a full-blown network blackout, disrupting essential services, including mobile and internet access, business operations, emergency response systems, and daily communications.
ATCON has called on the governors of Lagos and Ogun states to intervene immediately by facilitating the release of diesel from depots to telecom operators to prevent further deterioration of the situation.
“This is not just a telecom issue—it is a national emergency that could cripple economic activities and compromise public safety,” Emoekpere stressed.
The association also appealed to security agencies and petroleum unions to resolve the crisis swiftly to safeguard Nigeria’s connectivity and economic stability.
ATCON emphasised that a prolonged disruption in fuel supply to telecom infrastructure could have far-reaching consequences for both businesses and individuals who rely on stable communication networks for daily operations.
In 2023, Nigerians spent a total of about ₦5.3 trillion on telecommunications services, which includes calls, data, SMS, and other telecom services, according to the Leadership.
Specifically for voice calls, Nigerians made approximately 408.5 billion minutes of local calls, generating around ₦3.28 trillion from outgoing calls and ₦3.23 trillion from incoming calls, totaling about ₦6.51 trillion in call-related revenue according to projections based on 2023 call volumes and tariff data.
However, the ₦5.3 trillion figure represents the overall telecom sector revenue, with voice calls being a major component but also including data and other services.
For individual spending, MTN subscribers spent an average of ₦2,508 monthly on voice calls in 2023, showing a 14.4% increase from 2022, while Airtel customers spent about ₦1,694 monthly on voice calls.
Total telecom spending (calls, data, SMS, etc.): ₦5.3 trillion in 2023
Estimated revenue from voice calls alone: around ₦6.5 trillion based on call minutes and tariffs
Average monthly spending on calls per subscriber: ₦1,694 to ₦2,508 depending on the network
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