African governments hope digital taxes will fill a budget hole
Putting levies on mobile money is easier than taxing profits of multinationals
The digital economy is bringing Africans together. The same cannot be said for attempts to tax it. Levies on mobile and internet services have sparked street protests in Uganda, cabinet squabbles in Nigeria and a parliamentary brawl in Ghana. In August Congolese officials even confiscated the passports of telecoms executives to try to make them cough up.
This article appeared in the Middle East & Africa section of the print edition under the headline “Tempting—but not so easy”
Middle East & Africa October 15th 2022
- Peter Obi, a man who carries his own suitcases, could be Nigeria’s next president
- African governments hope digital taxes will fill a budget hole
- Despite lethal repression, Iran’s protests continue
- Hamas ponders whether to cosy up to Syria’s brutal despot
- Middle Eastern countries are sitting on an ocean of natural gas
From the October 15th 2022 edition
Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents
Explore the editionMore from Middle East & Africa
The start of a fragile truce in Gaza offers relief and joy
But the ceasefire is not yet the end of the war
West African booze is becoming a luxury product
Female entrepreneurs are leading the charge
First, the ceasefire. Next the Trump effect could upend the Middle East
Will Israel and Donald Trump use the threat of annexation to secure a new grand bargain?
After 15 months of hell, Israel and Hamas sign a ceasefire deal
Donald Trump provided the X factor by putting heat on Binyamin Netanyahu, who insists the war isn’t over yet
A hidden refuge in Sudan that the internet, banks—and war—can’t reach
A visit to the Nuba mountains provides a glimpse into the future of the country
Violent jihadists are getting frustrated by the new Syria
Tipsy dancers, Christmas decorations, Shias and women’s rights are in the crosshairs