Telcos Threaten Telecom Blackout Ahead of 2019 Election

Telecoms operators are seeking a downward review or scrapping of some government taxes and levies slammed on their operations.

 

Currently, the operators, under the aegis of the Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), said they pay 38 different taxes and levies of government and its agencies. And this obnoxious taxes are coming majorly from regions including South South; South East and North East.

Aitel office
Airtel

Some of the imposed taxes, according to him include aviation clearance, site Inspection Fee, hawking permit, building permit, building fitness, sewage fees, fumigation, sewage fees, refuse collection and disposal, capitation fee, shop rate, among others.

 

Adebayo gave an example of Taraba State, which locked up cell site during last Christmas period over frivolous taxes.

They complained that the taxes and levies are duplicated in different names and among federal, state and local governments, making them practically impossible to comply with; yet at the slightest delay in payment, agencies involved resort to closing down critical network facilities.

Telcos have warned that henceforth, they would not re-open any site arbitrarily closed by states and agencies of government over non-payment of some taxes and levies, Nigeria may have the 2019 general elections without telecommunications.

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19 thoughts on “Telcos Threaten Telecom Blackout Ahead of 2019 Election”

  1. So they want to use the 2019 elections as a bargaining chip. Instead of seeking redress in a court of law. By the way won’t they loose profits if they shut down.

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  2. They are complaining because the Taxes is too much. People who are collecting the money should take easy. Too much taxes and nothing is happening..

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  3. This is getting real… I hope they can keep up with the threat and lets so who looses the most when the time comes

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  4. They’re just trying to pull the toes of the Federal government. The kind of loss they’ll incure, is enough reason not to think about doing something as funny as that.

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  5. whether they use the elections as a bargaining chip or not, they’re already losing profits via those taxes. they may as well just get it over with

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  6. No matter what, we the masses are the one paying these taxes indirectly. You subscribe for 1gb, it vanishes in few hours without heavy usage. That’s thievery. Federal government should do something

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  7. When we are not even seeing the dividends of the taxes they are collecting. No wonder telecom operators in Nigeria have high prices for their products and services. Govt is taxing them high, so they get back their money from we d customers with high prices compared to other countries

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