Telecoms expert wants urgent policy reforms to tackle sector-specific multiple taxation

An Innovation and Technology Policy Advisor, Jide Awe has called on the Federal Government to urgently address the anti-growth and anti-investment impact of multiple taxation on the telecommunications sector.

Awe, who is also the Chief Executive Officer of Jidaw.com, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Lagos that government could tackle multiple taxation through a harmonised and predictable tax regime.

“To support sustainable growth, there must be urgent policy reforms, particularly to address multiple taxes and levies in the sector, which are imposed by different levels of government,” he said.

Awe expressed optimism that the telecoms sector would record sustained growth in 2026, driven mainly by rising demand for data services and digital applications.

“Improvements in service quality should follow wider adoption of 5G and stronger enforcement of performance standards,” he said.

He added that the expansion of satellite internet services was expected to improve connectivity in underserved and remote areas.

According to Awe, increased infrastructure rollout will boost broadband penetration, strengthen digital inclusion and support digital transformation in education, healthcare, finance and security.

He also urged stronger infrastructure sharing policies, stricter enforcement of service quality standards and targeted incentives for rural broadband and energy-efficient solutions.

“In today’s digital age, connectivity is not a luxury but a necessity and a basic enabler of social and economic participation,” Awe said.

Looking back at 2025, the Information Technology (IT) expert noted that Nigeria’s telecommunications industry recorded growth and resilience, in spite of economic pressures and persistent service quality challenges.

Awe said subscriber numbers continued to rise, with officially reported broadband penetration exceeding 50 per cent, underscoring the sector’s importance to social development and economic growth.

“The Nigerian telecommunications industry has demonstrated a combination of resilience, growth and strain over the past year,” he said.

He said Nigeria’s high mobile penetration and expanding data services had become key drivers of productivity, innovation and digital inclusion across multiple sectors of the economy.

Awe, however, noted that quality of service remained an unrelenting challenge, as operators focused more on maintaining network stability than aggressive expansion due to economic headwinds.

“While efforts to expand fibre-optic infrastructure are visible, the harsh operating environment marked by currency volatility, high energy costs and inflation has constrained network investment,” he said.

According to him, the overall performance of the sector in 2025 can be described as positive, but unresolved challenges continue to limit its ability to fully deliver on its potential.

On policy and regulatory developments, Awe identified the 2024 designation of telecoms assets as Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) as a major milestone.

“The CNI designation reflects recognition of the strategic importance of the telecoms sector,” he said.

He noted, however, that incidents of fibre cuts and equipment theft remained high, indicating that efforts to operationalise the policy had yet to produce meaningful results.

Awe said the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) introduced measures to boost broadband penetration and support the rollout of 5G and other next-generation technologies.

He described the NCC’s approval of a 50 per cent upward adjustment in telecom tariffs in January 2025 as the most defining development of the year.

“This was the first major tariff review in more than a decade and allowed operators to adjust data and voice prices in response to rising operational costs,” he said.

Awe added that the sector recorded increased emphasis on infrastructure sharing to reduce costs, expand coverage and improve access in underserved and rural communities.

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