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Tag: MTN

  • MTN expects loss after Nigeria’s $1b fine

    MTN Group expects to report a full-year loss due to a $1billion regulatory fine in Nigeria and for under-performance both in Nigeria and South Africa, the company said yesterday.

    MTN had agreed in June to pay a N330 billion ($1.05 billion at the time) fine for missing a deadline to cut off unregistered subscriber identity module (SIM) cards from its network.

    Shares in MTN, which fell more than 4 per cent at market open, were 3.82 per cent lower at 113.25 rand at 07:33 a.m., its lowest level since December.

    MTN is the largest mobile phone company in Nigeria, the continent’s biggest economy, and accounts for a third of MTN’s revenue.

    It said the net effect of the Nigerian fine for the year ended December was a negative impact of 474 cents per share.

    MTN will issue a further trading statement on the likely range within which its headline loss is expected.

    Underlying operational results for full-year 2016 were also affected by fees incurred for a planned listing in Nigeria.

    The result also showed MTN under-performance of its units both in Nigeria and in South Africa in the first half of last year.

    MTN said it aims to list its Nigerian operations on the local bourse this year, subject to market conditions.

  • Before Senate swings the hammer on MTN

    Ahead of a potential pronouncement from the Senate concerning the lingering illegal money transfers allegation slammed on MTN, Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Abdur-Raheem Adebayo Shittu, has screamed out to the hallowed chamber to look before leaping. In what can be described as an astonishing turnout, Shittu wished for the Senate to troubleshoot unemployment deluge as well as preserve Nigeria’s attractiveness to Foreign Direct Investors (FDIs) by guarding against emotional pronouncements that will scare away MTN.

    Only a few days ago, the minister reportedly told the news agency, Reuters that, “Nobody will say that MTN is not important to Nigeria – we must encourage them, we must not scare them away from Nigeria.” Such comment from a serving minister is tacit policy stating the intent and position of the government in a season of seething recession. And for a drowning man, any grip is a lifeline.  Categorically, these are the government’s first statement on the latest investigation into MTN, indicating the government does not want to see the South African company punished unduly in Nigeria, its biggest market, should the latest allegations prove to be true.

    Recently, it can be recalled that MTN is seemingly building a bank of offensive records in Nigeria; the latest alleged illegal repatriation of $13.92bn profits from Nigeria between 2006-2016 is following closely on the heels of a dispute over unregistered SIM cards where top-shelf mediations and deliberations influenced the government to agree to a reduced settlement on the issue by nearly 70% from $5.2 billion to $1 billion. As a result of this, MTNN CEO, Sifiso Dabengwa, resigned in the wake of the record fine in November 2015. A fourth issue is the hangover of Nigerian consumers’ repugnance towards MTN over the telco’s “unapologetic” poor service delivery. Despite the “elite attack” from the Senate, the support for MTN from the masses is infinitesimal.

    To the ongoing repatriation saga, the duo of Paschal Dozie, Chairman of MTN Nigeria Communications and substantive CEO, Ferdi Moolman both told the Senate during a hearing session that MTN did not break Nigeria’s currency transfer rules. And Adebayo Shittu’s sympathy for the MTN eggheads was unwavering when he said, “They have a right to repatriate their profits as long as it is legitimately done. Any time MTN is suspected of breaking the law it will be investigated, though the facts against them must be established beyond reasonable doubt. Everyone who is in business will have ups and downs. You don’t throw away the baby with the bathwater. The presumption is that they are innocent and we pray they remain innocent.”

    Concluding, perhaps, with a tone of finality, Shittu said, “They (MTN) must stay.”

    Interestingly, “FDI must stay” is the gospel of President Muhammadu Buhari on his frequent globe-trotting missionary journeys. Specifically in Nairobi, Kenya, last year, at a bilateral meeting with Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, on the sidelines of the sixth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) in Nairobi, President Buhari reassured that, “Existing and prospective foreign investors and investments in Nigeria are secured and would be fully protected.” The president outlined several steps taken by his administration to secure the country and ease doing business in Nigeria. He also told the Japanese leader that, “As a government, we know our responsibility, which is to secure the environment and all local and foreign investments. “It is clear to us that lenders and investors will not fund projects in insecure environments. We realize that we have to secure the country before we can efficiently manage it.’’

    Already, it is public knowledge that MTN has invested over N3.2 trillion in our economy and thus deserves much respect especially as a corporate citizen. Since 2001, MTN is officially recorded to have contributed over N1.6tr to government coffers through taxes, levies and regulatory payments, providing jobs for nearly 1,000,000 Nigerians, directly and indirectly. Also, the MTN Foundation has spent over N18bn through CSR in almost every local government in Nigeria. They’ve disbursed over $3.5bn worth of businesses through adverts and sponsorships, and patronage of Nigerian hospitality industry and contractors.

    Ruminating on the impact a shock decision by MTN could have on the nation, its people and the economy, many experts have warned on the possible treatments to be meted out to the telco. Bismarck Rewane, a frontline economic analyst, has warned about the implication of the continued ‘harassment’ of Nigeria’s leading telecommunications provider, MTN Nigeria by the federal government, adding that this could discourage inflow of foreign investments into the country. He said this as the Guest Speaker at the Media Independent Practitioners Association of Nigeria (MIPAN) 2017 Business Outlook session which held at the Renaissance Hotel, GRA Ikeja.

    “Since we are harassing MTN, nobody is going to invest. Hounding of MTN is not a good thing, because it is sending a negative signal. We need to ensure that we send the right signals to encourage investment rather than to discourage investors”, Rewane who is MD/CEO, Financial Derivatives Company Ltd, said.

    More so, from Rotimi Fawole’s position in his opinion piece in The Guardian of Tuesday, January 24 – “The issues seem fairly clear and free of controversy…at this time when the Presidency is working hard at improving FDI flows…. It is hoped that…the current quiet around the MTN matter is a permanent one” – it seems various commentators on television, radio, newspapers and social media are in spiritual kinship with the Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu, President Buhari and Rewane.

     

    • Adulugba, a public affairs commentator writes from Lagos.
  • Untold story of alleged $13.92b repatriation by MTN

    Untold story of alleged $13.92b repatriation by MTN

    MTN Nigeria, the indigenous arm of the global telecom entity, MTN International, a South African company, has risen in defence of allegations that it flouted some regulations governing foreign currency repatriation. The Senate hearings on the issue afforded the telco opportunity to clear the air, Nduka Chiejina reports.

    Towards the end of last year, some allegations made the rounds that mobile telecoms operator, MTN Nigeria, repatriated about $13.92billion out of the country under the cover of Certificate of Capital Importation (CCI). CCI as the name implies, is a document from the bank that processes the receipt of a company’s foreign investment capital into Nigeria.

    It indicates the day on which the cash arrived, how much it was and how much local currency the bank converted it into. It’s an investment capital emanating from outside what is commonly referred to as Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) , so to say, to the country where the new entity has opted to invest.

    FDIs are usually encouraged and in fact, courted. Previous Nigerian governments and the current administration, have taken steps, through the establishment of extant laws and direct appeals, reached out to foreign governments and corporate bodies, wooing them to come and invest in the country. Organs like the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC), the creation of the various Free Trade And Export Promotion Zones, Bilateral Trade Agreements, among others, are designed not only to enhance FDI inflow, but to deepen it as well.

    The argument in the case of the MTNN’s $13.92billion transfer which  led to the Senate public hearing, should be whether the exercise violated any regulation, or legislation. The company has said the action is covered and consistent under existing laws.

    MTN Chairman, Dr. Pascal  Dozie, and the Managing Director/CEO, Ferdi Moolman,  rose in defence of the company, saying the telco did not act in violation of any law. In a response to the Chairman, Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance and Other Financial Institutions’ invitation for the Public Hearing, Senator Rafiu Adebayo Ibrahim, Dozie said:  ” The allegations that MTN illegally repatriated $13.92 billion out of Nigeria through its bankers between 2006 and 2016 are indeed weighty and factually incorrect. Nothing could be  farther from the truth for a company that has actually invested over $16 billion in Nigeria in a space of 10 years.”

    Dozie, who chronicled MTN’s investment in Nigeria, in both local and foreign currencies since 2001, including its creation of over 500,000 direct and indirect jobs, in the country, said the capital, which is the subject matter, was imported over a period of over 10 years via three banks, namely, Standard Chartered Bank, Diamond Bank Plc and Nigeria International Bank (Citibank), adding emphatically that the allegations regarding the CCI and illegal transfer of $13.92billion, “are completely false.” He insisted that MTN complied with extant laws and regulations, and that requests for CCIs are continuing events – made as-and-when brought-in.

    Also, Moolman said in a prepared text, that no dividends were declared or paid until the CCIs were issued and finalised, adding  that MTN Nigeria only requested for CCIs for foreign capital that was imported into Nigeria. He pointed out that dividends were externalised on CCIs.

    His argument: “Often for various reasons (such as not having all the required documentation for instance), it is not possible to issue a CCI within 24 hours, and the Central Bank of Nigeria’s Forex Manual contemplates such situations by asking that the banks refer to the CBN for approval. Besides, the requirement to issue a CCI within 24 hours of conversion is an administrative requirement. As such, the CBN has the authority, and indeed we believe, approved the banks’ applications to issue CCIs outside the recommended time frame.”

    MTN Nigeria’s stance that it has variously complied with the nation’s laws, in addition to its contribution to the Nigerian economy viz; Equity contribution  averaging $402, 035,000, Debt capital of N329 billion, and  Offshore loan capital of $1.297billion, in addition to the payment of over N1.6 trillion to the Government in Taxes, Levies, and made over $16 billion investment in infrastructure and services, and has through MTN Foundation (MTNF) committed over N18 billion towards  health, education and economic empowerment in 550 project locations across the 36 states of Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory, among others, do not point to an entity acting against the interest of its host country.

    Stakeholders have argued that while  the Senate public hearing should give the lawmakers and the general public the ample opportunity to unravel the facts,  in consonance with existing regulatory provisions, nothing should be done to injure pro FDI initiatives, designed to encourage inflow of the much needed foreign capital.

    For instance, part of the incentive enshrined in NIPC rules designed to encourage FDI, among others, is that a foreign investor in an approved enterprise is guaranteed unconditional transferability of funds through an authorised dealer, in freely convertible currency, be it dividends or profit (net of taxes) attributable to the investment; payments in respect of loan servicing where a foreign loan has been obtained; the remittance of proceeds (net of all taxes) and other obligations in the event of sale or liquidation of the enterprise or any interest attributable to the investment and total repatriation of capital should the investor choose to relocate elsewhere.

    The thinking out there is, with the Senate public hearings now concluded, the critical questions to be addressed, should centre on whether there were foreign currencies imported into Nigeria through an authorised dealer by the providers of capital in MTN Nigeria. If the answer is affirmative, then the Upper Legislative  Chamber should go a step further to determine how much was imported by the providers of capital in MTN, and also point out when it was that the foreign currency was imported by the providers of capital in MTNN.

    Since all the corporate bodies involved in this episode are regulated either by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), none of which has queried the alleged infractions to date, it would be safe to conclude that all of these questions have been sufficiently answered since these inquisitions started.

    Going forward, a synergy is needed between corporate bodies, be they foreign, or indigenous and the legislature to ensure the Good Corporate Governance Practice in our nation’s corporate environment.

  • MTN eyes DStv competitor online

    •DStv: why viewers can’t choose channels

    MTN is trying to turn itself into a quadruple-play Television service with products such as VU, its Chief Consumer Officer in South Africa, Larry Annetts, has said.

    VU used to be MTN FrontRow, a one-stop-entertainment portal where subscribers could VU their favourite movies and series.

    Annetts said by venturing into this, the telco will have to deal with net neutrality issues.

    The issue of zero-rating as a net neutrality concern reared its head recently when AT&T zero-rated data for its DirecTV Now service.

    This means customers’ AT&T data used to stream from DirecTV Now is essentially free.

    This follows AT&T acquiring DirecTV in July 2015 and subsequently launching the DirecTV Now subscription streaming video service.

    MTN zero-rates its subscription VOD service VU in the same way.

    The zero-rated data decision was met with dire warnings from media outlets like The Verge.

    “AT&T just declared war on an open Internet,” it said.

    Turn the Internet into basic cable, charge for features and content, then charge competitors to compete with their own vertically-integrated video services, stated The Verge.

    MTN said a bundled telephony, broadband, and video entertainment operator is the kind of company it is trying to turn into.

    However, the debate around zero-rating and net neutrality is not clear-cut, Annetts told MyBroadband.

    “Net neutrality and MTN’s zero-rating of VU services are two separate things. MTN’s decision to zero-rate VU should be understood as part of MTN facilitating access to the service for our customers and as part of our marketing strategy,” he said.

    Annetts said the zero-rating meant customers will only incur the costs of subscribing to or renting content.

    “This is our unique proposition and it is one way of making our customers lives a whole lot brighter,” Annetts said, adding that the decision to zero-rate or bundle a service is not a simple one. “It is entirely dependent on the company’s marketing strategy,” he explained.

    Meanwhile, the pan African pay Tv service provider has said the nature of a broadcast service makes it incredibly difficult to let subscribers choose their own channels.

    MultiChoice’s Group General Manager, Broadcast Technology, Nyiko Shiburi, said the technology is built to place channels into a relatively small number of groups.

    He said if the subscriber is allowed to become their own group, this would place more strain on the system than the bandwidth offered by DStv’s satellites could handle.

    For anti-piracy reasons, which are driven by Hollywood studios, DStv constantly has to cycle encryption keys through its decoders.

    “That’s why you sometimes see an error message when you switch on a decoder for the first time when it’s been off for a while,” Shiburi said, adding that if content encryption keys are generated for each individual subscriber, this would cause a massive amount of signalling traffic.

    It could take days for a new subscriber to be activated if such individual channel selection were allowed, MultiChoice said.

    Even if the technical challenges are overcome, the larger obstacle to allowing subscribers choose their channels is pricing.

    To explain the model, Shiburi compared it to a gym. “You can’t just pay for the treadmill,” he said.

    “Capital expenditure costs are high, so you have to package things in such a way that they become affordable to as many people as possible,” he added.

    On whether it would be possible for DStv to alter its package structure to look more like some overseas satellite pay-TV services, he said the number of channels groups are roughly the same, but some of them split their premium sport and entertainment channels – which may then be bolted onto cheaper packages.

    MultiChoice has warned on several occasions that making such significant changes to its package structure will come with consequences to pricing.

    Not all channels cost the same and some licensing costs decrease as the number of potential viewers increase, due to being able to offset content costs with advertising.

    “We know that our subscribers want the flexibility of choosing their own channels. However, by packaging channels in the way we do into predetermined bouquets, we make the services more affordable for more of our customers.

    “We are always improving choice and flexibility by improving our on-demand services that is why we are looking at how we can further address that desire on various online platforms,” Dstv said.

  • MTN pays N80b of N330b fine

    MTN pays N80b of N330b fine

    Mobile giant MTN has paid N80 billion out of the N330 billion fine imposed on it for failing to deactivate more than five million unregistered SIM cards.
    Minister of Communications Adebayo Shittu stated this yesterday at the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Forum in Abuja
    According to him, the company paid the money for the first year of the three years it is expected to complete the payment.
    MTN was initially fined 5.2 billion dollars (N1.04 trillion) for the infraction but it was reduced to N330 billion.
    “For the first year, they paid N80 billion, after paying the initial N50 billion, and they will have to pay for three years until they will complete the N330 billion.
    “MTN does not have a choice, when the law was made, it said for every unregistered SIM card in use, the fine is N200, 000, the law never anticipated that one company will be in violation to the tune of millions of lines.
    “It was inconceivable, so when the thing was added 200,000 times 5.2 million lines, it came to a trillion plus.
    “When it happened, the MTN did four things; one they accepted that they were in default, two, they apologised for that and three they committed themselves never to allow such a thing to happen and number four, they asked for remission.
    “Government had to look at a number of factors because if they have to pay this amount; they will pack up.
    “We also knew that we invited the international community to come and invest and anything that will be done which will shake the confidence of international investors in Nigerian economy, we must avoid it.
    “Consequently, we must not throw away the baby with the bath water, if they had packed up and left, let us assume all their staff are not more than 5, 000, it means all of those 5,000 will lose their jobs.
    “Also those who made investment, who bought shares will lose their shares and the Nigeria banking sector would go into crisis,’’ he said.
    The minister said even in the court system, if one was fined and could not pay for one reason or the other, the person would ask for reconsideration either by way of appeal or bringing a motion

  • MTN has paid N80bn fine for SIM card infraction – Minister

    MTN has paid N80bn fine for SIM card infraction – Minister

    The Federal Government said MTN had paid N80 billion of the N330 billion fine imposed on it for failing to deactivate more than five million unregistered SIM cards.

    The Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the company paid the sum for the first year.

    It will be recalled that MTN was initially fined 5.2 billion dollars (N1.04 trillion) for failing to deactivate more than five million unregistered SIM cards but was later reduced to N330 billion.

    “For the first year, they paid N80 billion, after paying the initial N50 billion, and they will have to pay for three years until they will complete the N330 billion.

    “MTN does not have a choice when the law was made, it said for every unregistered SIM card in use, the fine is N200, 000, the law never anticipated that one company will be in violation to the tune of millions of lines.

    “It was inconceivable, so when the thing was added 200,000 times 5.2 million lines, it came to a trillion plus.

    “When it happened, the MTN did four things; one they accepted that they were in default, two, they apologised for that and three they committed themselves never to allow such a thing to happen and number four, they asked for remission.

    “Government had to look at a number of factors because if they have to pay this amount; they will pack up.

    “We also knew that we invited the international community to come and invest and anything that will be done which will shake the confidence of international investors in Nigerian economy, we must avoid it.

    “Consequently, we must not throw away the baby with the bath water, if they had packed up and left, let us assume all their staff are not more than 5, 000, it means all of those 5,000 will lose their jobs.

    “Also those who made an investment, who bought shares will lose their shares and the Nigeria banking sector would go into crisis,’’ he said.

    The minister said that even in the court system if one was fined and could not pay for one reason or the other, the person would ask for reconsideration either by way of appeal or bringing a motion.

  • ‘Declare MTN’s unsolicited SMS as trickery’

    Human rights lawyer Waive Benjamin has asked the Lagos High Court, Igbosere, to declare the sending of unsolicited subscription text messages to his phone by MTN Nigeria Communications as trickery.

    He made the prayer, among others, last Friday as plaintiff before Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo, in a 12-paragraph statement of claims dated September 20, at the commencement of Suit No: LD/ADR/492/2016.

    The plaintiff averred that the defendant, MTN, sent “a plethora of such text messages popping up on his phone,” from one of which a financial deduction was made on his airtime.

    He said shortly after recharging his line with N1000 on September 6, the defendant, without his knowledge, registered him for a gaming service and deducted N100 from his airtime, which was never reverted despite several complaints to the defendant.

    Benjamin said he was “irked and feels that there are many unsuspecting Nigerians from whose account the defendant is making such unsuspecting and unsolicited deductions on a daily basis”.

    He asked the court for a declaration that “the acts of popping up unsolicited SMSs on the plaintiff’s phone is trickery, calculated to hoodwink unsuspecting subscribers including the plaintiff and thereby making them subscribe to unwanted advertisement”.

    He also sought a declaration that the defendant’s act “is annoying, disturbing, frustrating and wrong’’, as well as an order of the court restraining the defendant from further registering its customers for such products without their knowledge.

    MTN’s counsel Mrs. Ayo Obe made an oral application for time to file her defence. Waive prayed the court for an adjournment to amend the suit and join the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) as a party.

    After granting the requests, Justice Onigbanjo adjourned till January 31 for hearing.

  • Worried Minister says Indians are buying over MTN Nigeria

    Worried Minister says Indians are buying over MTN Nigeria

    Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu has expressed sadness over the state of the economy noting that Indians are gradually buying over MTN Nigeria.
    According to Onu, not less than 75 percent ownership of MTN has been acquired by Indians.
    The minister disclosed this in Abuja at the weekend during the inaugural press conference of the Computer-Based Test, (CBT) Centre Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria, (CPAN) with the theme: the impact of ICT in CBT system of examination.
    Government, Onu said, does not want foreigners to take away technological opportunities meant for Nigerians.
    Represented by the Assistant Director, Information Communication and Technology, (ICT) at the Ministry of Science and Technology, Mr. Adeyemi Adebayo, the minister said: “Indians are gradually buying over MTN in Nigeria now and one of the bad things about this development is that Indians now have the capacity to administer what MTN does by Physically employing Nigerians.
    “They want the capacity to do that from their country and if we in Nigeria allow all these opportunities to go it will not speak well.
    “Indians have now taking over not less than 75 percent of MTN and the control of MTN is not from Indian not even from Nigeria and if your association is not taken over this CBT may be Indians will come and take over CBT.
    “You people are doing a great work. Government does not want people from other countries to come and take away our technology. I believe that if we have associations like CPAN, they can regroup from the telecom companies they can take back what Indians have taking away from Nigeria.
    “MTN Nigeria is actually a Nigerian company, they came from South Africa but who are the people doing the work, are they not Nigerians?”
    Onu said Nigeria has not adequately exploited the potentials of the Information Communication and Technology, (ICT) hence weakening the economy.
    Onu said the country’s productivity capacity to compete with the world has also been weakened.
    The repercussion according to the minister, is that Nigeria may not have international competitive products in the world.

  • Captain’s Cup 2016: Veuve Clicquot, EFG hits semi finals.

    Captain’s Cup 2016: Veuve Clicquot, EFG hits semi finals.

    Veuve Clicquot and EFG have advanced into the semi finals of the Lagos Polo Club Captain’s Cup at the club’s grounds in Ikoyi.

    Veuve Clicquot led by Mohammed Mdheli came from behind to beat EfG 6.5-5 in their first game and also  MTN 4.5-4 in their second to top group A. EFG rallied from their narrow loss to Cilcquot and blew away Bluechip 6-1 with their captain, Tobi Edun scoring 5 goals.

     

    The other semifinalists will be known later today when SNL will play ECAD while Powerhorse takes on Charvet.

    Abdulrahman Mohammed was the star performer as ECAD beat Charevet 10-5 in their first game while SNL lost to Powerhorse 4-6.

    The Semifinals are to be played tomorrow at the Lagos Polo Club, Ikoyi and the tournament serves as the season opener for the club.

  • Telecoms tariffs dip by 67%, says MTN

    Telecoms tariffs dip by 67%, says MTN

    MTN yesterday lamented that telecoms tariffs have declined significantly  by over 67 per cent between 2007 and this year while data prices in Nigeria are among the lowest on the continent.

    Its CEO, Ferdi Moolman who appeared before the Senate yesterday in Abuja in respect of the suspension of the data hike directive issued to the telcos by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), said a number of factors are threatening the sector’s growth sustainability.

    Elaborating on the factors, he said: “The rise of headline inflation to about 17.9 per cent; the depletion of operator revenues by unlicensed providers of “over-the-top” telecoms services who do not have any physical presence nor pay any taxes,  make any significant contribution to employment or other socio-economic objectives of government in Nigeria; the inability of operators to access foreign exchange (this is particularly debilitating given that most of our inputs are sourced off-shore). This has very significantly increased both operating and capital expenses.”

    The telco however restated its commitment to the provision of affordable data and voice services to its customers in the country.

    “Despite these macro-economic challenges, telecom tariffs have declined significantly (over 67 per cent between 2007 and 2016) and data prices are amongst the lowest on the continent. “With this in mind, MTN looks forward to the cost study as confirmed by the NCC, and remains committed to working with the regulator and industry to ensure fair value and fair competition in the Nigerian market,” Moolman said.

    He said the telco remained unrelentingly committed to the sustained provision of affordable and accessible voice and data services in accordance with the National Broadband Plan (NBP), adding that in line with this commitment and to continue the provision of high speed data services to its esteemed customers, MTN recently bid for, and acquired the 2.6GHz LTE spectrum at the cost of $96million.

    “MTN also launched 4G LTE services, enabling faster access to digital platforms and igniting socio-economic development with a multiplier effect on the economy.

    “MTN actively contributed to the development of the NBP, and has consistently taken every step to facilitate the achievement of government’s objectives of pervasive, cost-effective and sustainable access to data services by all strata of Nigeria’s population. The company continues to be an ICT development partner to the government and people of Nigeria,”he said.