It has been a whirlwind of public outcry and legal battle since the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) made the controversial move of requesting a local entrepreneur to pay a staggering US$325 levy for merely possessing a television set.
The outrage began after a payment notice from Tela Network Ltd, an Abuja-based technology company, surfaced online, triggering angry debates on over-taxation in Nigeria. The notice did not only end at the US$325 fee for 2025; it also charged the company US$657 arrears for 2023 and 2024, alongside a whopping US$325 fine, totalling a staggering US$1,300. The company was asked to pay the sum within 14 days.
Tela Network Ltd, however, would have none of that. The firm, via its lawyers, fired back, arguing that the charge was baseless since it does not operate a radio or television broadcasting organization. In a blistering reply, the firm requested AMAC to provide the legal basis for the charges.
AMAC, standing its ground, cited a by-law of 2012 as the source of its demands. By this, companies falling under “Computer Service Generally,” the council said, must pay a TV/Radio license fee of US$657. The clarification has done little to end the outrage.
The tax has generated outrage among Abuja residents and legal experts, who see it as another instance of excessive and unfair taxation. Critics argue that imposing such charges—especially in a declining economy—burdens citizens and businesses. Many ask why they must pay exorbitant fees for owning a TV when basic public services are in short supply.
Social media sites have become a battleground of criticism, with users having lashed out at the fee as exorbitant and exploitative. “How is this even justified?” one user tweeted. “Are we paying for services that do not exist?”
Legal minds are going into action. Tela Network Ltd’s lawyer, Iroh, called the levy “draconian” and threatened a potential court action. Although he granted AMAC the right to enact by-laws, he argued that this levy not only appears arbitrary but also oppressive.
Human rights lawyer Liborous Oshoma joined the protest, describing the tax as an attack on the middle and low-income earners who can least afford it. “It’s always the common people who bear the brunt,” he said. “Meanwhile, the wealthy typically find ways of wriggling out of such fees. This must be challenged in court.”
As the outcry grows, AMAC has remained silent. Council spokesman, Emeka James, was contacted but not reached effectively.
The situation has given a platform to discuss taxation in Nigeria, and many are calling for policy intervention based on economic realities and service delivery.
All eyes are on Tela Network Ltd and whether this lev will be contested in court.
