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Like Nigeria and Zimbabwe, Rwanda wants to tax digital companies like Netflix, Google, YouTube …

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Rwanda has joined a list of African countries like Nigeria and Zimbabwe who have announced plans to tax online services and digital companies consumed within the country.

Earlier this week, the Federal Government of Nigeria announced plans to tax foreign digital service providers offering services such as Netflix, Google, YouTube, and Amazon.

Some of these service providers are video streaming sites, social media platforms, and companies that offer downloads of digital content. They are expected to pay digital tax to the Federal Inland Revenue Service.

The principle that allows international tax and cross-border activities was designed after the need for industrialization post WW11 in the 1920s and known as permanent establishment (PE) status.

The principle requires that a business only be taxed in a country where it creates sufficient physical presence. Since most companies in the digital economy can operate in a country without setting up appearances, the rule does not capture them.

 

image culled from qz.com

 

According to the Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA), a proposal has been presented before the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning from where it will undergo several procedures before implementation if approved.

“When you pay for services such as Netflix, you are using money that you have generated in Rwanda. So, we are asking, why don’t we collect VAT on these services yet they are being paid for by our citizens? If you pay 12 dollars a month for Netflix, why don’t we keep some of that amount at the source here?” Jean-Louis Kaliningondo, the Deputy Commissioner General of RRA said.

“If you go to Western countries, for example, France, you find that Amazon pays VAT yet it is not a French company. European countries are collecting VAT on services provided by foreign platforms, he added.

In November 2021, Ghana announced plan to introduce 1.75% levy on all electronic transactions including on mobile money payments, bank transfers and merchant payments to widen the tax net.

A number of African countries have expanded the scope of their indirect taxes to cover digital services, but only a few have thus far implemented some form of direct digital services tax that applies to non-residents with no physical presence in their respective countries.

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Flutterwave partners Token.io to provide seamless bank transfer to users in UK, EU

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Pan-Africa’s payments technology company, Flutterwave has entered into a partnership with Europe’s account-to-account (A2A) payment infrastructure provider, Token.io to power “Pay By Bank” transfer capabilities using its platform.

Flutterwave’s Chief Executive Officer, Olugbenga Agboola, who made the announcement at the ongoing “Money20/20 Europe fintech conference in Amsterdam” on Wednesday, said the A2A payments would be a fast and secure way to move money between bank accounts, especially for Africans.

“Our partnership with Token.io will make it even faster and easier for individuals and businesses to pay and receive money,” Agboola said.

“By partnering with Token.io to provide Account-to-Account payments to our customers, Flutterwave will advance its mission of connecting Africa to the global economy,” he added.

According to the Flutterwave CEO, open banking-powered A2A payments do not require registration or error-prone data entry, making them a seamless payment method.

“End-users would have authenticate A2A payments directly with their bank for a frictionless experience that also delivers higher success rates than market standards, thereby offer merchants cost savings compared to traditional payment methods and settle instantly to improve cash flow”, he said.

Also speaking on the partnership, Todd Clyde, the CEO of Token.io said it underscored the platform’s commitment to enabling payment providers to grow with open banking-powered A2A payments.

“We’re confident that Token.io’s infrastructure will help Flutterwave offer its customers a more comprehensive payment solution, with A2A payments being a key part of this for UK, Europe, Middle East and Africa corridors,” said Clyde.

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Samsung Electronics launches e-waste program in Kenya

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Samsung Electronics East Africa has entered into a partnership with Kenya’s home appliances store, Housewife’s Paradise, to commence the collection of e-waste for recycling aimed at providing a joint-effort on environmental conservation.

According to Samsung East African Head of Service Division, Ronald Mitei, the collection of e-waste would begin in Nairobi before scaling to the rest of the country by the end of the year.

Under the e-waste management program, Housewife’s Paradise will collect Samsung brand-only e-waste at a customer’s preferred time and date, with the waste delivered to WEEE Centre, the official Samsung recycling partner in Kenya and then be discarded.

“We have been dedicated to responsible e-waste management for the last few years and we now want to scale it up to ensure that we minimize any negative environmental impact of our products,” Mitei said.

“This includes taking responsibility for the end-of-life phase of our products to prevent environmental harm. Our e-waste program and recycling program are an important part of this commitment,” he added while addressing a press conference on Tuesday.

Samsung Electronics is strongly committed to proper e-waste disposal and we believe in safeguarding our environment through responsible disposal and recycling of electronic waste, transforming it from being hazardous to beneficial.

“Working together with our partners, we can ensure that waste is not just discarded, but transformed into reusable materials.

“This collaboration embodies our shared dedication to sustainable practices, conservation, and the health of our planet,” Mitei added.

Also speaking during the press conference, Managing Director of Housewife’s Paradise, Zul Jamal, said:

“As a responsible home appliance retailer, we understand the importance of proper e-waste disposal.

“It’s not just about selling new appliances; it is also about ensuring that the old ones are retired in a way that is safe for our environment.

“That is why we are devoted to providing our customers with easy access to responsible recycling options, and encouraging the sustainable disposal of electronic products.”

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