MTN: On The N1.04 Trillion Fine

If you follow local and international news, you will be in the know that the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) last week slammed a fine of N200,000 on every single unregistered SIM card MTN failed to deactivate following the NCC directive. In total, MTN was slammed a fine of N1.04 Trillion. 

This, according to analysis is about 20% of MTN's market value. The fine could be considered excessive but Nigeria has stood its ground insisting that the South African firm must pay it despite meetings between the firm and Nigeria's team led by Vice-President Osinbajo.
In my opinion as an observer, I think MTN had doubted what the NCC could do as a regulatory body in the telecommunications industry. They perhaps took the NCC as a toothless bull dog. 

MTN parades itself like a Jackie Chan or a Jet Li in the industry which can do as it so pleases by flagrantly failing to comply with government directives, deducting money from customers' balances recklessly, forcefully subscribing customers to unsolicited products or services, rendering poor services, etc. I do not use MTN but their users whine about their highhandness.

Even though it is the largest telecommunications company in Nigeria, MTN needs to abide by the rules of their host country, that is, Nigeria.

Their failure to deactivate the unregistered lines was unique as Airtel, GLO and Etisalat didn't fail to meet the NCC deadline. Yet, at that period, MTN was busy calling on customers who had already their lines to re-register. MTN should stop behaving like Jet Li. They should comply with rules of their host countries. Nigeria needs to be more stringent in regulating key sectors without being unnecessarily harsh on investors. But on this N1.04 Trillion fine, I back the NCC. They are the regulators.

VASK.