The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has identified multiple taxation as a significant obstacle impeding the sustainable development of the telecom industry in the country.
Adewolu Adeleke, the Executive Commissioner for Stakeholder Management at the NCC, addressed the issue of Multiple Taxation and Regulations at the Regional Stakeholders Workshop in Kano on Wednesday.
The theme of the conference is: “Navigating the Landscape of Multiple Taxation and Regulations, Fostering Sustainable Growth through Collaboration”.
Adeleke, represented by Efosa Idehen, the Director of Compliance, Monitoring, and Enforcement at the commission, emphasized that the growth of telecoms infrastructure, essential for the entire digital economy, is hindered by multiple taxation and regulations.
Adeleke remarked that certain state and local government agencies were enforcing taxes and regulations without proper legal authorization. This unwarranted imposition adversely impacted the telecommunications industry, leading to a ripple effect on its overall output.
According to him, the absence of appropriate legal backing for these taxes and regulations raised concerns about their legitimacy and highlighted the need for a more structured and legally sound approach to governing such matters at the regional and local levels.
Speaking further, the Commissioner of the NCC strongly advocated for proactive measures to address the persistent challenge of multiple taxation and regulations.
Expressing the need for immediate action, the commissioner emphasized the importance of finding lasting solutions to this issue, recognizing it as a significant obstacle to the smooth operation of the telecommunications industry.
He said that these proactive measures would not only alleviate the burden of multiple taxation and regulations but also pave the way for a more stable and conducive environment for the telecom sector.
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Furthermore, the NCC Commissioner stressed the need for speedy deployment of new infrastructure and the seamless operations of existing ones to achieve 90 per cent broadband penetration by 2027 in the country.
