Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, has said that he has been inundated with complaints and enquiries concerning the recent 7.5 per cent Value Added Tax (VAT) deductions on voice calls and text messages by some mobile Network operators (MNOs).
He informed the general public that the issues of VAT do not fall under the ministry’s purview. The Minister who made this disclosure in a statement by his spokesperson, Mrs. Uwa Suleiman, yesterday said he was not mandated to handle VAT, but explained that contrary to popular opinion in some quarters, the minister had no prior consultation or awareness about the development.
Suleiman disclosed that further enquires and clarifications from now should be directed to the Federal Inland Revenue service (FIRS) which is the proper institution for tax matters.