Tinubu signs Executive Orders, suspends 5% Excise Tax on telecoms

President Bola Tinubu has signed four Executive Orders one of which is the suspension of the five per cent Excise Tax on telecommunication services as well as the Excise Duties escalation on locally manufactured products. The Special Adviser to the President on Special Duties, Communications and Strategy, Dele Alake announced this on Thursday while briefing journalists at the State House in Abuja.

He stated that the President also signed the Finance Act (Effective Date Variation) Order, 2023, which now defers the commencement date of the changes contained in the Act from May 23, 2023 to September 1, 2023. According to the presidential spokesman, this is to ensure adherence to the 90 days’ minimum advance notice for tax changes as contained in the 2017 National Tax Policy.

President Tinubu also signed The Customs, Excise Tariff (Variation) Amendment Order, 2023, shifting the commencement date of the tax changes from March 27, 2023 to August 1, 2023 and also in line with the National Tax Policy. Tinubu also ordered the suspension of the newly introduced Green Tax by way of Excise Tax on Single-Use Plastics, including plastic containers and bottles as well as the suspension of Import Tax Adjustment levy on certain vehicles.

Alake equally explained that the President issued these orders to ameliorate the negative impacts of the tax adjustments on businesses and chokehold on households across affected sectors.

He however reiterated the President’s commitment to reviewing complaints about multiple taxation, local and anti-business inhibitions.