Nigerian Minister of Communications Technology, Honorable Dr. Omobola Johnson, last month (December), at the A4AI Coalition Forum, revealed that five out of its thirty-six states – Abuja, Bayelsa, Cross River, Lagos and Ondo are working towards the reduction and elimination of multiple taxation of Information and Communications Technology (ICT).
In a release on the Alliance For Affordable Internet’s (A4AI) website, the Minister at the A4AI forum referred to the states as the “Smart States”. These smarts states have formally signed a memorandum of understanding with Dr Johnson to join the country’s Smart State Initiative, which aims to promote the growth and faster deployment of ICT infrastructure across the country.
“Each of the five states have reduced levies and taxes on ICT infrastructure by as much as 50%, and the Smart States will create a single agency to collect fees on behalf of their governments. This reduction in taxes and fees will help lower costs of accessing the internet and enabling more Nigerians to come online. ” she says.
The Alliance for Affordable Internet (A4AI) is a “global coalition working to make broadband affordable for all.” It aims to achieve the UN Broadband Commission target – broadband priced at less than 5% of monthly income, thereby enabling billions more people to come online.
