‘N780b fine remains, despite lifting of ban on MTN’s regulatory service’

From the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has come a clarification that the lifting of ban on MTN regulatory service has nothing to do with the fine.

NCC, in a statement, yesterday, signed by its Director of Public Affairs, Tony Ojobo, informed that the commission had indeed lifted the ban on regulatory services, which it placed on MTN Nigeria for several regulatory infractions, “but the lifting of the ban on regulatory services is in no way related to the fine the commission imposed on MTN on October 20, 2015, for failure to deactivate 5.2 million improperly registered SIM cards for which a fine of N1.04 trillion was imposed. These infractions predated this fine.”

According to Ojobo, the letter lifting suspension of regulatory services signed by the Head, Compliance, Monitoring and Enforcement, Efosa Idehen, and the Head, Legal and Regulatory Services, Mrs. Yetunde Akinloye, specifically stated that the lifting of the suspension is a result of several letters from MTN to the NCC requesting for the lifting.

The letter state: “We have reviewed MTN’s plea and also took into consideration the fact that MTN has abated all the infractions that gave rise to the suspension of regulatory services by the commission.”

According to the commission, the infractions included but not limited to tariffs and promotions by MTN in letters from NCC of May 4, 2015, May 9, 2015 and May 25, 2015 respectively to withdraw unapproved tariffs and promotions, specifically MTN Trutalk and MTN Best II promotions.

NCC said compliance checks on MTN showed that it had failed and deliberately refused to comply with the directives issued by the commission.

“Inspite of that, it continued to introduce additional promotions in utter disregard for the NCC directive, contrary to the Nigerian Communications Act (NCA) 2003 and Regulation 8(2) of the Enforcement Regulations 2005 and the relevant provision in the Guidelines for Advertisement and Promotion.

“Further communication with MTN in letters dated June 19, 2015 and July 13, 2015 did not in any way discourage the operator from these infractions.”