The Uganda Social Media and Mobile Money Taxes Survey – a public opinion survey on the impact of new taxes on social media and Mobile Money – was conducted by Whitehead Communications in partnership with the ICT Association of Uganda between the 13th to 16th of July, 2018, making it the first of many investigations into the impact of these taxes, which drew the attention of stakeholders across the nation and globally.
The primary purpose of the survey was to serve as a resource in a consultative and evidence-based review of social media and mobile money taxes, which came into effect at 12am on the 1st of July, 2018. The Parliament of Uganda passed a 32.4 trillion shilling 2018/2019 budget including a new 200 shilling (~0.05 USD) tax “per user per day of access” on “over the top services” (OTTs) previously known by the general public as social media. The same budget introduced an additional tax on mobile money transactions “of receiving, payments and withdrawals” valued at 1% of the value of these transactions.
This quick and far-reaching survey on the practical impacts of the new taxes has since been reported in major national media, as well as used by members of the Ugandan Government and lawyers challenging the taxes in Uganda, plus several Ugandan and international researchers. The Mobile Money tax was subsequently reduced by 50% and a court case in Uganda challenging these taxes is ongoing.
Results were collected both online and through face-to-face interviews across the country, gathering 3,015 responses (more on the methodology and sample in the full report). This report was expedited to be released within 36 hours of closing the survey in order to provide timely information to policy makers, concerned parties and the general public. Whitehead Communications Ltd. continues to work with various stakeholders and researchers to provide its data free of charge for further research and analysis.
You can view the full report on the ICT Association of Uganda website here: http://ictau.ug/2018/07/17/uganda-social-media-mobile-money-taxes-survey-report/
The primary purpose of the survey was to serve as a resource in a consultative and evidence-based review of social media and mobile money taxes, which came into effect at 12am on the 1st of July, 2018. The Parliament of Uganda passed a 32.4 trillion shilling 2018/2019 budget including a new 200 shilling (~0.05 USD) tax “per user per day of access” on “over the top services” (OTTs) previously known by the general public as social media. The same budget introduced an additional tax on mobile money transactions “of receiving, payments and withdrawals” valued at 1% of the value of these transactions.
This quick and far-reaching survey on the practical impacts of the new taxes has since been reported in major national media, as well as used by members of the Ugandan Government and lawyers challenging the taxes in Uganda, plus several Ugandan and international researchers. The Mobile Money tax was subsequently reduced by 50% and a court case in Uganda challenging these taxes is ongoing.
Results were collected both online and through face-to-face interviews across the country, gathering 3,015 responses (more on the methodology and sample in the full report). This report was expedited to be released within 36 hours of closing the survey in order to provide timely information to policy makers, concerned parties and the general public. Whitehead Communications Ltd. continues to work with various stakeholders and researchers to provide its data free of charge for further research and analysis.
You can view the full report on the ICT Association of Uganda website here: http://ictau.ug/2018/07/17/uganda-social-media-mobile-money-taxes-survey-report/
