Nigeria’s mobile network operators are banking on President Bola Tinubu’s sweeping tax reforms to lift a decades-long burden of multiple levies that has stifled investment and slowed network growth.
Four major tax reform bills signed into law on 26 June—collectively known as the Reform Acts—are due to take effect from 1 January 2026. The measures consolidate overlapping tax laws, scrap minor levies, and raise thresholds for small businesses. Officials say the changes are designed to simplify the system, boost revenues, and stimulate growth.
Gbenga Adebayo, chair of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria, said at the weekend that the reforms marked a “pivotal step” towards easing the 56 separate taxes and charges faced by telecoms firms. “We are confident that these will soon become a thing of the past,” he said at the launch of Nigeria’s first Digital Museum in Lagos.
Operators have long argued that multiple taxation inflates costs, slows rollout, and ultimately drives up consumer prices. Industry leaders also point to right-of-way charges—fees for laying fibre and network infrastructure—as another major bottleneck, with states that impose steep levies often deterring investment.
“The digital train is moving very fast,” Adebayo warned. “States that create hostile conditions for telecom operations risk being left behind, while more supportive neighbours attract investment and better connectivity.”
Earlier this year, 11 states pledged to waive right-of-way charges to support broadband expansion, though only seven have so far implemented the move. The federal government has capped fees at ₦145 per linear metre, but many states still demand higher rates.
Telecoms operators argue that the reforms, combined with more consistent right-of-way policies, could accelerate Nigeria’s digital transformation, strengthen connectivity, and make the sector more attractive to investors.
