The Nigerian economy and digital landscape are currently seeing significant developments, with the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) clarifying misconceptions surrounding Value Added Tax (VAT) on banking services, a landmark court ruling against Meta in a privacy case, and Starlink introducing new flexible payment options in Kenya to enhance internet accessibility.

The Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) has moved to dispel widespread and misleading reports claiming that a new Value Added Tax (VAT) is being directly applied to bank transfers. In an official statement released on Thursday, the agency firmly stated that the 7.5% tax is exclusively levied on the service fees charged by banks for transactions, not on the principal amount transferred by customers. This clarification directly addressed "misleading narratives circulating in sections of the media suggesting that Value Added Tax has been newly introduced on banking services, fees, commissions, or electronic money transfers," which the NRS deemed "categorically incorrect." The confusion emerged in early January 2026, following the implementation of the Nigeria Tax Act 2025. This was exacerbated when various fintech platforms and commercial banks, including prominent players like Moniepoint and OPay, issued compliance notices to their customers. While these notices correctly specified that the 7.5% VAT would apply to banking charges such as the ₦10 or ₦25 fee for a transfer, this crucial context was lost as the information spread rapidly across social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and WhatsApp. Viral posts erroneously suggested a direct levy of ₦7.50 for every ₦100 transferred, fueling public anxiety already heightened by the rising cost of living and recent tax reforms. Zacch Adedeji, the Executive Chairman of the NRS, along with Dare Adekanmbi, his Special Adviser on Media, reiterated that the Nigeria Tax Act did not introduce any novel VAT on banking charges. They clarified that VAT on banking services has long been an integral part of Nigeria’s established tax framework, applying to "fees, commissions, and charges for services rendered by banks and other financial institutions." To illustrate, the NRS explained that for a ₦10,000 transfer incurring a ₦25 bank fee, the 7.5% VAT is calculated solely on the ₦25 fee, amounting to ₦1.88, leaving the principal ₦10,000 untouched. Furthermore, the NRS confirmed that interest earned on savings accounts, fixed deposits, and similar investments is exempt from VAT, as "Interest income is not a supply of goods or services and therefore does not attract VAT under the Nigeria Tax Act." The agency urged the public to rely on official communications for accurate tax information and disregard unverified reports. Concurrently, Mr. Taiwo Oyedele, Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, also refuted reports of a pause in the implementation guidelines for new tax laws, dismissing such claims as "Fake News" and clarifying that his team was simply seeking authenticated printed copies of the laws.

In a landmark legal decision on January 13, 2026, a Lagos State High Court ruled in favor of human rights lawyer Femi Falana, SAN, against Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram. The court awarded Falana $25,000 in damages due to a viral video circulating on Meta's platforms that spread false medical claims about him. This judgment is notable as it explicitly rejected Meta’s long-standing defense of being a mere host of third-party content, absolving it from liability for user-generated posts. The court determined that Meta’s control over content distribution and monetization through its algorithms elevates its role beyond that of a passive platform, deeming it a "joint data controller." Under Nigeria’s Data Protection Act, disseminating false medical information, even about a public figure, constitutes a privacy violation, and Meta was found to have breached its duty of care. While a victory for individual privacy rights, the ruling has prompted discussion among legal and privacy experts. Gbenga Odugbemi, a legal expert, suggested that the case might have been more appropriately handled as defamation or negligence rather than privacy, cautioning that using an unsuitable legal framework could inadvertently weaken future accountability cases. Advocate Dirontsho Mohale expressed concerns about the broader implications for tech companies operating in Nigeria, questioning how this classification of platforms as joint data controllers might reshape their operational models and the expectations of users regarding harmful content online.

Meanwhile, in Kenya, Starlink, the satellite internet service owned by SpaceX, has introduced an innovative instalment payment plan for its Starlink Mini kit, aiming to overcome affordability barriers for potential users. This strategic move allows customers to make an initial upfront payment of KSh 6,750, along with activation and shipping fees, and then spread the remaining hardware cost over a period of six months, in addition to their regular monthly subscription. This represents a significant departure from the previous requirement of a hefty KSh 27,000 upfront payment for the mini kit, making Starlink more accessible, particularly for price-sensitive individuals in rural and underserved regions. Starlink initially experienced rapid growth after its Kenyan launch in 2023, achieving a 0.5% market share within six months. However, this momentum slowed in late 2024 when the company temporarily paused new sign-ups in densely populated areas like Nairobi and Mombasa due to capacity constraints, a halt that lasted until mid-2025. This slowdown created an opportunity for local telecommunication companies, with Safaricom and Airtel aggressively promoting their more affordable 5G routers to rural customers, leading to a decline in Starlink’s market share to under 1%. By introducing these flexible payment options, Starlink is strategically repositioning itself, betting that increased affordability and payment flexibility will be key to regaining lost market share and expanding its user base in Kenya.