Your Complete Guide to Nigeria’s latest proposed regulations and taxes

The Nigerian regulatory landscape has largely given the impression that decisions are made in scattergun fashion. Last week, this was brought to the fore with the news that the Federal and Lagos State governments came up with new taxes and policies to guide certain sectors of the economy. They include the amendment of the Broadcasting Code, a new tax on the e-hailing sector, the capital base bill for betting operators, and content production.

5% Tax on Content Production

While unveiling a platform by the Performing Musicians Employers Association (PMAN) and LaFrique Promedia, secretary of the Lagos State Film and Video Censors Board (LSFVCB), Mr. Bamidele Balogun, issued a 30-day notice to all content producers in Nigeria to register their content with the body as the state introduced a 5% levy on visual and audio productions.

“Practitioners and stakeholders are also informed that henceforth, all audio and visual contents produced and sold within Lagos State shall attract the payment of 5% levy on each item. This exercise will, however, assist the Lagos State Government in policy formulation, with regard to planning and funding for the sector”.

What was the reaction? 

Most prominently, Sound Sultan, in an interview with Vanguard on Saturday expressed his displeasure.

“Looking at the timing, I feel it is very insensitive to come up with such a law, as the industry is not working right now. Most people in the industry earn from shows and right now, there are no shows”.

“Again, there has not been too much help coming from the government as regards the entertainment industry. By this, I mean not directly. Yes, they might say they have provided an enabling environment for us to explore our talents and do everything, but that is minute, considering what they stand to gain from the industry”.

“Hardly can any sector of the country be said to be working as the government seems ineffectual, irresponsive and incompetent. Unemployment, particularly among our youths has reached and passed unprecedented levels, while the unnecessary loss of human lives due to insecurity has become a recurring decimal with scores of Nigerians being killed on a daily basis. Our indebtedness, both internal and external has reached alarming proportions. with the attendant virtual collapse of social and physical infrastructure leading to pervasive and grinding poverty. The way and manner governance is conducted suggests a high degree of irresponsibility at all levels”.

“While there is no disputation over the fact that hate speech portends an existential threat to the enterprise of journalistic reporting and, in fact, inhibits the workings for a free society, it is absolutely repugnant that powers that be would instrumentalize the prevention of hate speech as a means of constricting free speech.

As a matter of fact, it seems somewhat contradictory that a country like ours, which is in the throes of national security skirmishes, would choose to shrink media access to critical information. It is not known if any society had won the war against terrorism by placing a restriction to access to information, in the way NBC had done.”

“Rather than pushing to enforce a culture to respect president, governors, lawmakers, elders, and other leaders, Mr. Muhammed and the NBC should use their entrusted public office and mandates to promote a culture of public debate, access to information, transparency and accountability in government.

Nothing can be more destructive to people’s exercise of basic human rights, and to democratic politics than the suppression of the media, and media freedom. The alleged ‘cultural codes’, which Mr. Muhammed and the NBC are now using to punish journalists, broadcast stations, and other Nigerians are patently contrary to the public interests.”