ICT Stakeholders Agree On Collaboration To Address Multiple Taxation, Others

Stakeholders in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector have agreed that collaboration is critical to address industry challenges such as; multiple taxation and wanton destruction of telecommunications infrastructure, among others.

To this end, they urged the three arms of government and other stakeholders to cooperate, as only collaboration would ensure improved regulation of the communications sector for enhanced socio-economic development.

Speaking at the ‘1st Annual Workshop for Attorneys General on Emerging Issues in the Communications Sector’ in Ikeja, Lagos on Wednesday, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), noted that Nigeria’s communications sector remained one of the dynamic and rapidly evolving sectors. However, he said, the transformation was  being hindered by some critical recurring challenges, including levies imposed by federal, state and local authorities; telecommunications infrastructure destruction, especially in conflict-prone areas;  and regulatory overlaps that confuse operators and complicate compliance, among others.

Advising that the legislature must review and strengthen laws that protect infrastructure and support the communications sector, he urged the executive to reinforce measures aimed at implementing these laws, even as the judiciary is also a key stakeholder in ensuring that offenders and saboteurs are made to face the full wrath of the law.

“These measures are not only to be adopted at the Federal level. State governments also play key roles. Through institutional and governmental cooperation, we can eliminate some of these challenges, such as in 2023 when Anambra State proactively adopted a unified right-of-way policy, resulting in a 38 per cent increase in fibre optic expansion within 6months. Proactive measures like these are laudable, and I encourage all stakeholders to support the developmental efforts of the Nigerian Communications Commission.

“I therefore wish to recommend that stakeholders work towards adopting strategies and mechanisms that enhance synergy in regulating communications for the digital transformation in Nigeria. These include legal and policy,” he pointed out.

Similarly, the executive vice chairman/CEO of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Aminu Maida, said the event was a significant milestone in its efforts to foster collaboration between the legal community and the regulatory community.

To him, “no sector, especially one as dynamic and impactful as communications, can be effectively regulated in isolation. The communications sector remains a vital enabler of innovation, commerce, governance, and inclusion. However, to fully unlock its potential, we must tackle a range of challenges that cut across legal,

regulatory, fiscal, and operational domains.”

Stating that this collaboration will streamline taxation in the communications sector, he added that multiple and inconsistent taxes continued to deter investment, saying, “We must work together to harmonise tax regimes and remove disincentives to growth.”