Telecom

South Sudan: MTN, ZAIN still paying taxes to Sudan, report reveals

South Sudan: MTN, ZAIN still paying taxes to Sudan, report reveals
Monday, 03 October 2022 14:21

MTN and Zain are the main telecommunications operators in South Sudan. Under the country's laws, the operators must pay their taxes to the government of South Sudan, however, they are paying them to Sudan despite a split that happened more than ten years ago.  

MTN and Zain South Sudan are still paying their frequency fees and taxes to Sudan although South Sudan became a sovereign state different from Sudan in 2011.  The fact was revealed in a report presented by Changkouth Bichiock, chairman of the Finance and Economic Planning Committee, last week.

According to the report quoted by local media, the unusual situation occurs because the two operators obtained their licenses in Sudan well before the 2011 split. Zain’s license will expire in 2024 and MTN’s in 2027.  

 “[After thorough deliberations], the parliament directs the NRA [National Revenue Authority] to collect Business Profit Tax [BPT], Excise, and Value Added Tax [VAT] from MTN, Zain, and Digital providers,” Changkouth Bichiock says.

This initiative may be part of the South Sudanese government's efforts to diversify the country's largely oil-dependent economy. The additional revenue should support post-Covid-19 recovery efforts. 

Isaac K. Kassouwi

On the same topic
Ethiopia opened its first fully automated smart police station on Feb. 9, 2026. The project forms part of the government’s “Digital Ethiopia...
The Tunisian government assigned Tunisie Télécom four core missions to digitise the national health system, including broadband connectivity, a...
Equatorial Guinea, Nigeria sign deal for new submarine fiber-optic link Project aims to boost bandwidth, digital connectivity and regional...
Nigeria launches mobile app to connect women with economic services Platform targets 25 million women, President Tinubu says App centralizes...
Most Read
01

Except for Tunisia entering the Top 10 at Libya’s expense, and Morocco moving up to sixth ahead of A...

Global Firepower Index 2026: Egypt, Algeria, Nigeria Lead Africa's Military Rankings
02

Deposits grow 2.7%, supporting lending recovery Average loan sizes small, credit risk persists ...

Togo Microfinance: Deposits and Loans Rise Simultaneously in Q3 2025
03

Oil majors expand offshore exploration from Senegal to Angola Gulf of Guinea accounts for about 1...

Gulf of Guinea regains appeal as a key exploration hub for oil majors
04

The BCEAO granted Semoa a level-3 “full service” payment institution license on January 27, 2026...

Togolese Fintech Semoa Wins Full-Service BCEAO License
05

MTN is considering buying back telecom towers it sold years ago, signalling that control of infras...

MTN’s Talks to Buyout IHS: A Strategic Reversal That Could Reshape African Telecoms
Enter your email to receive our newsletter

Ecofin Agency provides daily coverage of nine key African economic sectors: public management, finance, telecoms, agribusiness, mining, energy, transport, communication, and education.
It also designs and manages specialized media, both online and print, for African institutions and publishers.

SALES & ADVERTISING

regie@agenceecofin.com 
Tél: +41 22 301 96 11 
Mob: +41 78 699 13 72


EDITORIAL
redaction@agenceecofin.com

More information
Team
Publisher

ECOFIN AGENCY

Mediamania Sarl
Rue du Léman, 6
1201 Geneva
Switzerland

 

Ecofin Agency is a sector-focused economic news agency, founded in December 2010. Its web platform was launched in June 2011. ©Mediamania.

 
 

Please publish modules in offcanvas position.