‘We Received A Letter Demanding We Pay Tax For Watching TV In Our house, Using Other Home Electronics’ — Abuja Resident Cries Out 

‘We Received A Letter Demanding We Pay Tax For Watching TV In Our house, Using Other Home Electronics’ — Abuja Resident Cries Out

 

 

An Abuja resident has sparked outrage on social media after revealing that the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) sent him a notice demanding payment of tax for using household electronics such as television and radio.

 

The man, who goes by the username @Bingel_Baba’am on X (formerly Twitter), shared his frustration on the platform after receiving the notice, describing it as one of the most absurd things he had ever encountered.

 

According to him, the council’s letter requested payment for “Television, Radio, Electronics, and other related devices,” implying that residents are expected to pay taxes for simply owning and using these items in their private homes.

 

Expressing disbelief, the Abuja resident wrote:

 

“We got a letter today demanding we pay for using TV and other services and this is the craziest thing I have come across ever. We should pay for watching our own TV with our electricity and satellite subscription? Lmfaoooo.”

 

The post quickly went viral, attracting hundreds of reactions from other Nigerians who shared in his outrage and frustration over what many described as an “unreasonable tax.”

 

One X user, @IamGbono, broke down the multiple taxes already paid by citizens, questioning why additional levies were being imposed on basic household items.

 

He wrote:

“When the TV got imported, the importer paid import duties and VAT.

When the importer sells the TV, they’re meant to remit parts of the proceeds as Company Income Tax and VAT (already billed to the customer).

You, the buyer, having paid VAT, pay for Netflix, internet and DStv (all VAT inclusive), buy your power units (VAT inclusive), or buy your fuel (VAT inclusive) to enable you watch the TV you bought with your hard-earned personal income that’s already taxed.

And now the government still wants you to pay consumption tax for watching the said TV!”

 

He added bitterly,

“Pay taxes like we live in the UK but suffer like we live in Nigeria. Oops, we actually live in Nigeria. If we don’t act now, this will go on till we can’t feed them anymore!”

The viral incident has reignited conversations around Nigeria’s overburdened tax system and poor governance, with many citizens questioning the legality and morality of such levies, especially at a time when economic hardship continues to deepen across the country.

 

As of the time of filing this report, the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) has yet to issue an official statement clarifying the authenticity or purpose of the controversial tax notice.