MTN Nigeria Fined $5 Billion USD By Nigeria Communication Commission

Nigeria’s telecoms industry regulator, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has approved punitive sanctions totaling N1.04 trillion (about $5 billion USD) against MTN Nigeria, over an alleged breach of SIM registration rules, according to an exclusive report from Technology Times.

The report, which cites an unnamed source, claimed that MTN Nigeria was sanctioned for allegedly undermining efforts by the Nigerian government to tackle security challenges and the war on terror and allied crimes, as the telecoms operator has allegedly refused to deactivate unregistered mobile phone lines on its network.

The source claimed that a letter communicating the sanction had been dispatched to MTN Nigeria’s Lagos office from the telecom industry regulator’s headquarters in Abuja, which according to Technology Times, was later confirmed by a top executive at MTN Nigeria in a telephone conversation.

Technology Times sources further noted that there may be other consequences beyond the punitive fines, as the matter has reportedly been directed to the Directorate of State Security (DSS), Nigerian Army, and the Presidency, suggesting a broader spread of consequences for the telecoms company.