Comedian Seyi Law has condemned the 0.5% cybersecurity levy on transactions which he described as “a punishment on Nigerians.”
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) said in a circular to all commercial, merchant, non-interest and payment service banks, among others on Monday that the implementation of the levy would start from May 20.
The circular revealed that it was a follow-up on an earlier letter dated June 25, 2018 on compliance with the Cybercrimes Act 2015.
Reacting in a post on his X account on Tuesday, Seyi Law, a staunch supporter of President Bola Tinubu, describe the charges as a punishment on Nigerians.
He wrote: “I hate when government agencies don’t speak up to the understanding of the citizens and allow wrong narratives to fester before tackling it. Cybersecurity level, according to the act, is 0.005%, and different figures from 0.5% to 3% are being thrown around.
“A 0.5% charge in the Nigeria of today is in itself too much punishment on Nigerians. Are we trying to discourage banking transactions again and encourage cash keeping? @cenbank should revisit this abeg.
“Stamp duty is something, and now this. It is unacceptable. @NGRPresident @officialABAT, let the poor breathe. When will the new minimum wage be announced and implemented? Some of your ministers need to look for another job. One year is here and we are counting.”
