Kingsley Kanayo
The Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, is yet to receive any payment towards a possible fine from South African telecoms firm MTN Group, a spokesman for NCC said on Thursday.
On Wednesday, MTN said it had withdrawn its legal action against Nigeria’s regulator over a $3.9 billion fine and paid $250 million towards a possible settlement. Africa’s leading telecoms firm was fined by the NCC in October for failing to disconnect unregistered SIM users, prompting weeks of lobbying to reduce the fine.
“As per this afternoon, we have neither received any payments nor official communications from MTN,” Tony Ojobo, a spokesman for NCC, said.
“The Nigerian Communications Commission had set up a committee to sit down with it counterparts from the MTN to work out modalities on resolutions of this matter,” he said. “As per this afternoon, we are not aware that this committee has met to work out anything.”
Victor Oluwadamilare, media assistant at the communications ministry, declined to comment.
The original amount was based on fining the company $1,000 for every unregistered SIM card in use. MTN, which makes 37 percent of its sales in Nigeria, said it would withdraw its court challenge in an effort to reach an amicable settlement.
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