More stakeholders in the nation’s telecoms space have joined the calls on the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to drop the stop the imposition of new electronic transaction levy of 0.005 per cent as contained in the new Cyber Crime Bill.
Explaining on the sidelines of a recent workshop on electronic payment solutions and financial inclusion, President of National Association of Telecoms Subscribers’ (NATCOMS), Chief Deolu Ogunbanjo, condemned the threat to increase tariff charges for subscribers, stating that new electronic transaction levy of 0.005 per cent as reflected in new Cyber Crime Bill will add burden on already laden telecoms subscribers and consumers in the E-payment sector if implemented.
According to him, “The 0.005 per cent e-transaction implementation will be a direct burden on the already laden subscribers in the telecommunication sector.
“Please operators should work with the industry regulator, Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) and consider at ensuring that government is not adding more responsibility that will in-turn be transferred on subscribers.
“I am so sure the Cyber Crime bill did not say telecommunication subscribers should be ripped off.’
Before now, both ALTON and ATCON had objected to the new tax, saying it will jerk up the cost of doing business and further impair the financial resources of companies to upgrade or expand networks for increased quality of service delivery.
