By Ishaya Ibrahim
The latest tax on Nigerians announced by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has been received with scorn by Nigerians.
The apex bank on Monday ordered banks operating in the country to start charging 0.5% as cybersecurity levy on transactions.
A circular from the apex bank on Monday disclosed that the implementation of the levy would take effect in the middle of May.
The new tax regime adds to the burden Nigerians face doing electronic money transfer. Aside from the charges service providers take from them whenever they make a transfer, the Federal Government takes N50 from every transaction that is up to N5,000.
Netizens have scorned the new charges.
@dawisu said: “No sensitization of the public on the implementation of this policy, no awareness around it, kawai you wake up and decide to remove 0.5% from their money. Money that they’re struggling to get in this hard time. Keep pushing people to the wall. You’ll reap the consequences.”
@Waspapping_ said: “By the end of the year, it wouldn’t come as a shock if President Bola Ahmed Tinubu begins to impose charges for the oxygen we breathe in and out.”
@ogbucyril said: “You people want to use taxes to suffocate Nigerians. All these on top 30k minimum wage.”
@VoiceofHausa said: “No fuel subsidy -increased electricity tariff -Dollar to Naira is 1,400 – Telecommunication taxes -O.5% cybersecurity levy -Stamp duty charges -VAT charges still, our minimum wage is N30,000. Nigerians should hit the streets, this is unacceptable.”
@swagnito said: “Stamp Duty, Electronic levy, SMS Charge, Now Cyber security levy. The government will be taxing its citizens and stealing the money from the other side.”
@RolandNGabriel said: “We have to challenge this. This is Robbery upon robbery. How can CBN keep levying us as they like without minding how it affects us?”