MTN pays $458m to Nigeria to settle half of fine over SIM cards issue

MTN has paid an amount of N165 billion, about $458 million which is half of the N330 billion fine or $916 million that the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) imposed on the company in 2015 for not complying with a directive to deactivate unregistered SIM cards in the country.

The NCC said the SIM card were largely being used by terrorist group Boko Haram to conduct terror attacks.

The Executive Vice Chairman of NCC made this known Monday April 9, 2018 in Abuja when MTN Group, led by its Chairman in Nigeria, Pascal Dozie, paid a visit to the commission.

In October 2015, the regulator imposed a fine of N1.04 trillion on MTN Nigeria for not complying with the rule on deactivation of unregistered SIM cards, and for not disconnecting about 5.1 million improperly registered numbers in its network within the stipulated deadline.

Following appeals, negotiations and diplomatic intervention by the South African government, the fine was reduced to N330 billion.

By Emmanuel K. Dogbevi