Nigeria: Regulator fines Telecom giant MTN a record $5.2 billion

MTN Group Ltd on Monday confirmed earlier report by Technology Times that the Nigerian Communications Commission has imposed a fine of US$5.2 billion on its Nigerian subsidiary over failure to disconnect 5.1 million subscribers in August and September 2015.

The publication confirmed the figure from the new chief of the watchdog, Professor Uman Danbatta, who said the matter is a punitive sanction against the MTN Group over allegations that it breached SIM registration rules in the country.

MTN is Nigeria’s biggest mobile network and Nigeria is also MTN’s biggest market.

“We acted within our mandate as a regulator”, Tony Ojobo, head of public affairs at the NCC, said by phone.

The fine which is the largest in the history of telecom infringements may redefine the relationships between telecommunications operators and the regulator. The amount is even bigger than the entire budget of the Federal Government of Nigeria.

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