Nigeria will put any new talks with South Africa’s MTN on hold over a $3.9 billion fine for the company’s failure to abide by a deadline to disconnect unregistered SIM card users, this will remain until parliament concludes a probe, its communications minister said on Wednesday.
According to Reuters report, the House of Representatives, last month, launched a probe into whether Nigeria can reduce the fine, which had originally amounted to $5.2 billion. In December, telecoms regulator NCC cut the fine to $3.9 billion.
The probe is believed to have hindered MTN in their efforts to launch new talks aimed at getting the fine reduced further.
“As soon as the ongoing (parliamentary) investigations are concluded we will sit down with them (MTN),” communications minister Adebayo Shittu told reporters.
The House launched its investigation after MTN angered lawmakers by snubbing an invitation to its Nigeria Chief Executive Ferdi Moolman to appear at the telecoms committee, according to MPs.
According to a document seen by Reuters, MTN had offered in March to pay $1.5 billion, and it dropped a legal case against the regulator as the first step in its efforts to reach an out of court settlement.
In 2015, under the Goodluck Jonathan administration, Nigeria imposed a deadline on mobile operators to cut off unregistered SIM cards, which MTN missed, amid fears the lines were being used by criminal gangs, including militant Islamist group Boko Haram.
$1 = 199 Naira
