For South African-based telecoms giant, MTN, one of Nigeria’s leading telecommunications network providers, reports of numerous allegations against them have become the norm.
Today, the Consumer Protection Council (CPC) directed MTN Communications Nigeria Limited, to pay N1.85m to one of the winners of its Ultimate Wonder Promo for lack of due diligence after being paid N150,000 instead of N2million. The CPC, on the strength of various observations, directed MTN to pay within 14 days of receipt of the order despite MTN’s claim that the complainant deceitfully presented himself when winners in the N2m category were called forward on the day of the prize presentation. Last year, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) found MTN guilty of violating Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) registration regulations, by failing to disconnect unregistered subscribers and subsequently fined MTN with a record fee of $5.2 billion. From an initial $5.2 billion fine with a payment deadline of December 31st 2015, MTN pleaded for mercy and the NCC eventually slashed the fine by 25 percent. In a bid to delay payment after the deadline, MTN filed a suit against the NCC challenging the regulatory agency’s power to impose such a fine. In both Uganda and Cameroon, MTN has been accused of tax evasion.

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