Countries across Africa are steadily tightening their grip on cryptocurrencies and digital transactions, treating them not as an exception to financial rules but as activities to be incorporated into existing tax, capital-control, and consumer-protection frameworks.

Nigeria is moving to tax crypto transactions even before establishing a dedicated regulatory framework. South Africa, meanwhile, has identified cross-border crypto transfers as a potential gap in its monetary control system and is proposing new reporting requirements. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has temporarily suspended a controversial digital tax after pushback from startups and tech stakeholders.

Nigeria Imposes 1.5% Stamp Duty on Crypto Transactions

Nigeria's push to tax cryptocurrency transactions marks the latest step in a regulatory journey that began in 2025.

Virtual assets, including cryptocurrencies, are now legal in Nigeria. Under the Investment and Securities Act (2025), virtual assets were classified as securities, though regulators have since appeared to shift away from that position.

In July, an executive order established the Virtual Asset Council, overseen by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS), the country's tax authority. President Bola Tinubu said the country would issue specific rules around taxation, with payment-like virtual assets assigned to the CBN and digital assets that function as securities placed under the SEC.

The SEC has also opened its sandbox for digital asset investment platforms—the Accelerated Regulatory Incubation Programme (ARIP)—to nine additional firms. The regulator appears to be focusing on tokenisation players and platforms that facilitate the exchange or distribution of tokenised products, suggesting that supervision and taxation are being built in parallel rather than after the market has already matured.

The NRS has now issued new guidelines making crypto transactions taxable. Eligible crypto transactions will attract a 1.5% stamp duty, with registered virtual asset service providers (VASPs) required to deduct the levy from the digital asset being transferred before remitting it to the government. The tax authority has indicated it will accept collection in Bitcoin, USDT, or whatever digital asset is passing through the system.

South Africa Targets Spam Callers with Fines Up to $60,560

South Africa is cracking down on unsolicited marketing calls with substantial new penalties.

Under amendments to the Consumer Protection Act, gazetted in April by Parks Tau, South Africa's Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, direct marketers could face fines of R1 million ($60,560) or 10% of their annual turnover—whichever is greater—for unsolicited calls and other violations.

All direct marketers must now register with the National Consumer Commission (NCC) and scrub their calling lists against the opt-out registry before contacting consumers. Registration opened in July 2026, and failure to comply could lead to outright bans or significant fines.

Hardin Ratshisusu, the NCC's acting commissioner, said the rules are designed to protect consumers from "intrusive and unwanted direct marketing communication."

According to Truecaller data cited, South Africans received 5.38 billion spam calls in the first two months of 2026 alone—roughly 86 million per day. Spam call volume rose 22.9% between January and May 2026 compared to the same period in 2025.

South Africa's Information Regulator has clarified that even consumers who do not register on the opt-out list remain protected under the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA), meaning telemarketers must still obtain consent before sending electronic marketing messages.

By tying fines to a percentage of turnover, the government is shifting from inconsequential penalties toward a model where non-compliance poses a serious financial risk.

South Africa Proposes Cross-Border Crypto Reporting Rules

South Africa's National Treasury and the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) have released a draft manual for cross-border crypto activity, drawing a clear line between domestic crypto transactions and those that cross borders.

Under the draft framework, buying crypto with rand through a licensed local Crypto Asset Service Provider (CASP), transferring crypto between local CASPs, or selling approved crypto holdings back into rand would generally be treated as domestic, non-reportable activity.

However, when crypto leaves South Africa, the rules change. A South African resident who transfers crypto from a local CASP to an offshore exchange or a non-custodial wallet would trigger a cross-border capital outflow that must be reported to the Financial Surveillance Department (FinSurv), SARB's exchange-control watchdog. The same principle applies in reverse for crypto returning to South Africa from offshore platforms.

The Reserve Bank is not seeking to ban crypto trading but rather to treat certain crypto transfers the same way it treats other forms of capital moving across borders, which matters because the reporting obligation would sit with licensed intermediaries rather than individual users alone.

The draft framework remains open for public comment until September 30. If adopted, South African exchanges will need to track not only who their customers are but also when a crypto transfer crosses a regulatory border, pushing local CASPs toward functioning as gatekeepers for cross-border crypto flows with reporting responsibilities similar to those of traditional foreign exchange intermediaries.

DR Congo Suspends Digital Tax After Startup Backlash

The Democratic Republic of Congo has suspended a controversial digital tax regime just ten days after introducing it, following fierce opposition from tech stakeholders.

On the evening of August 1, authorities suspended Interministerial Order No. 015, signed on July 20 by the ministers of Digital Economy and Finance. The order sought to collect non-tax revenues from individuals or companies conducting digital activities in the country or supplying digital services to the Congolese market. The charges, payable in Congolese Francs at the official exchange rate, would have applied to both domestic operators and foreign companies, with fees reaching up to $100,000 for some operators.

The government stated that it paused the measure to provide clarifications and prevent confusion, misinterpretation, or misleading exploitation.

The order triggered immediate pushback from online media publishers, entrepreneurs, and tech associations who argued the levies would weaken an already fragile digital ecosystem, particularly startups and digital media companies operating on thin margins. Critics also noted that the country's 2022 startup law and Digital Code were designed to encourage innovation, making the new fees difficult to reconcile with existing policy.

Augustin Kibassa Maliba, DRC's digital economy minister, rejected the notion that the government was retreating. He said the regulation does not depart from the government's commitment to promoting Congolese entrepreneurship, and that specific provisions for Congolese startups would be defined in the coming days.

According to a June 2025 report by GSMA, DR Congo is already one of the most tax-heavy countries in Central Africa. The suspended tax, if reinstated, would add further compliance pressure on affected operators. Regulators have indicated they will reassess and return with a revised plan.

Opportunities

The Creative Economy Accelerator Programme is open to African startups building in music, film and media, design, and creative tech. Selected startups will receive between $20,000 and $50,000 in funding and support. Applications close August 28.

Written by Emmanuel Nwosu and Zia Yusuf. Edited by Emmanuel Nwosu and Ganiu Oloruntade.