Audio/Visual Tax: Lagos Government denies 5% levy, blames film board executive secretary

The Lagos State Government on Friday said it has no five percent levy on audio and visual contents of physical and digital platforms and suspended the Executive Secretary of the Lagos State Film and Video Censors Board, Bamidele Balogun.

A letter from the film board addressed to IROKO TV’s Jason Njoku, and seeking the payment of five percent levy “on all audio and visual content on all physical and digital platforms” had been circulating on social media this week.

The letter, signed by Balogun, was dated August 31.

However, spokesman to the Lagos State Governor, Gboyega Akosile, said in a statement on Twitter that such a levy was not approved by the state government.

“There is no levy on Audio and Visual contents of all Physical and Digital Platforms in Lagos State,” Gboyega said.

“The Government hereby dissociates itself from the said announcement in the media. The Executive Secretary, who was not authorised to make such an announcement, has been suspended, pending an administrative enquiry.”

Akosile noted that the administration was not insensitive to the fact that the entertainment and tourism industry had been badly affected by the coronavirus pandemic and would not seek to inflict more pain with taxes.

“All stakeholders in the Entertainment Industry are advised to disregard the said publication,” Akosile said.