The Federal Government has introduced a new tax on phone calls to fund free healthcare for the Vulnerable Group in Nigeria.
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The telecom tax is the equivalent of a minimum of one kobo per second for phone calls to boost the funds required to finance free healthcare for the vulnerable group in Nigeria.
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This is contained in the National Health Insurance Authority Bill 2021 signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari on May 19, 2022.
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The law defines the vulnerable group as children under five, pregnant women, the aged, physically and mentally challenged persons, and the indigent “as may be defined from time to time”.
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It specified that the money from the vulnerable group fund shall be expended to provide subsidy for health insurance coverage of vulnerable persons as determined by the council; and for the payment of health insurance premiums for the indigent.
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Speaking on the development via his Twitter handle, Taiwo Oyedele, fiscal policy partner and Africa tax leader at PwC, said the new telcommuncations tax is equivalent to a 9 percent tax on GSM calls since call rates are charged at 11 kobo per second.
