Apple Users In Ghana Hit By Higher Taxes And Costs For In-App Purchases

• Users of Apple products in Ghana would have to brace up as higher taxes drive up costs for apps and in-app purchases
• The tech giant released a statement on August 19 announcing that the move will kick in a week later
• The tech company blamed the new price changes on 12.5% value added tax and 6% additional levies

Multinational tech company, Apple Inc., has announced tax and price changes for apps and in-app purchases for product users in Ghana starting this week.

According to a release from the company dated August 19, 2022, from this week, prices of apps and in-app purchases on the App Store will increase in Ghana and Turkey. This will, however, exclude auto-renewable subscriptions.

The release explained that “in Ghana, these increases also consider a new value-added tax of 12.5% and additional levies of 6%” to make an 18.5% total charge.

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Transactions from Ghanaian users would be adjusted according to the new changes and calculated based on the tax-exclusive price.

Apple said when the changes kick in, the Pricing and Availability section of My Apps will be updated.

“You can change the price of your apps and in-app purchases (including auto-renewable subscriptions) at any time in App Store Connect. If you offer subscriptions, you can choose to preserve prices for existing subscribers,” Apple said.

Ghana Government Sneaks In Commerce tax on Ghanaians Via Google

In March this year, the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) reported sneaked eCommerce taxes on Ghanaians via the Google Play Store amid the heated public debate about the 1.5% electronic transfer levy (e-levy) slapped on citizens.

According to a report by Techgh24, the Google wrote to all app developers on Google Play Store that from April 1, 2022, customers in Ghana and Nigeria who purchase apps or do in-app purchases will pay taxes, including VAT.

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“Google will begin using tax-inclusive pricing in Morocco, effective on March 21, 2022 and Ghana and Nigeria, effective on April 1, 2022, which means that prices shown on Google Play will include all taxes (including VAT), regardless of where your business is located,” Techgh24 quoted a letter from Google.

25-Year-Old Ashesi University Student Dave Donbo Creates App To Help People Order Pragya With Their Phones

Meanwhile, YEN.com.gh has reported in a separate story that Dave Donbo, a 25-year-old gentleman has co-founded Kambuu, a mobile application that his township in Upper West and the north in general can use to order locally-made vehicles known as 'pragya' with their phones.

The young man embarked on a spree to learn software programming after high school when he had no funds to further his education.

According to an article by his current institution, Ashesi University, Dave decided to provide the taxi-hailing service after realizing that it was rampant in Southern Ghana but not in the North.

Source: YEN.com.gh