President Bola Tinubu Signs Four Executive Orders, Suspends 5% Excise Tax On Telecom

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has signed four Executive Orders one of which approved the suspension of the five percent 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 disclosed this on Thursday while briefing journalists at the State House in Abuja.

He made it known 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 directed 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.

He also noted that President Tinubu’s administration will, therefore, continue to give requisite stimulus by way of friendly policies to allow businesses to flourish in the country.

The President assured Nigerians that there will not be further tax raise without robust and wide consultations undertaken within the context of a coherent fiscal policy framework.