Telcos protest N90bn new phone tax, to bill subscribers

The Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria has described the recent move by the Federal Government to add a one kobo per second tax on phone calls as a bad move.

According to it, this is insensitive considering the operating environment of telecom companies.

The umbrella body for telecom companies said, “For us as at ALTON, it is bad fate on the part of the government, and it is badly intended. This is because when we came out that the government should look at our cost of operations and give us room to review tariffs, everybody treated us like an outcast.

“The same government is now coming in a matter of days to say they are introducing new taxes. So, when they were saying to us that we cannot increase tariff because it is insensitive to the plight of the people and now, they brought another tax through the back door, we think it is bad fate and badly intended. So, if we cannot review based on the impact it will have on subscribers, why are they bringing in another tax, still on subscribers. Government cannot act in one way and say another thing.”