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Tag: MTN

  • No agreement with MTN yet, says minister

    No agreement has been reached yet with MTN on the fine imposed on it, the Minister of Communications  Technology, Adebayo Shittu, has said.

    Shittu told reporters yesterday after the Federal Executive Council meeting, in Abuja that the memo which also came before FEC was the one requiring approval of the final Acts and instruments amending the International Telecoms Radio Regulations.

    He said the World Radio Communication and International Telecommunications Union, (ITU), which usually hold meetings every four years, held the most recent one in December last year.

    He said the FEC approved what the Nigerian delegation did in Switzerland and then directed the Ministry of Justice to review the draft treaty for it to be domesticated as part of laws in Nigeria.

    He said: “At this meeting, the significant milestone was the fact that in all of the 150 years of existence of the ITU, a Nigerian in the person of Engr. Festus Dawudu, a Director of a Spectrum in the Ministry emerged as the Chairman.

    “It has never happened that an African would be Chairman of the 150-year old body.

    “Again, consequently, the Nigerian delegation signed the treaty and also a declaration to say that Nigeria reserves the right to react to any other member country which tries to intrude into what rightly belongs to Nigeria by way of the frequencies allowed Nigerians,” he stated.

  • MTN supports Innovation Africa Digital Summit 2016

    Nigeria will on Tuesday host the world as the 14th edition of Innovation Africa Digital (IAD) Summit begins in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

    Themed: ‘Harnessing Africa’s Digital Growth,’ the summit will address issues of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) development across the African region and its implications for socio-economic development.

    Speaking about the summit in a statement, MTN Executive, Aminato  Oyagbola said: “The emerging digital economy continues to throw up questions about Africa’s preparedness through ICT development, to partake and compete successfully in this economy with its potentially significant contribution to Africa’s GDP.
    “IAD 2016 will provide a platform for critical stakeholders to congregate and confer with a view to providing solutions that will leapfrog the technological advancement of our continent.”

    The three day summit, which will run through April 19-21, 2016 at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, is Africa’s leading ICT Business Summit, billed to host over 500 senior executives across government, regulatory bodies, telecoms operators and major end users of ICT from all over Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Europe.

    According to Oyagbola, “MTN is pleased to partner with the Ministry of Communications and other organisations to bring this summit to Nigeria. More than ever before, this is the time for Africa to grow and leverage technology for increased capacity and productivity and we are happy and indeed honoured to play a supportive role in every way.”

    With the summit set to deliberate on critical issues ranging from community broadband to securing the value of mobile for all, digital inclusive economics, monetising, securing and managing data, addressing the digital divide and ICT for social development, far reaching submissions are expected to be made towards developing the ICT industry with a view to harnessing the continent’s potential and enhancing its inclusive growth and development.

  • MTN backs efforts to end maternal mortality

    MTN backs efforts to end maternal mortality

    One of the enduring misfortunes in history is a woman’s death  during pregnancy or child birth. The World Health Organisation (WHO) in conjunction with most countries is battling to end the scourge.

    As part of this year’s Mother’s Day celebration, MTN Foundation, the corporate social responsibility (CSR) arm of telecoms gaint MTN Nigeria, joined forces with JNC International to unveil its Maternal Support Project to back the government’s efforts in reducing maternal mortality.

    The objective of the partnership, according to MTN, is to create unhindered access to affordable health care facilities and services provided by skilled healthcare professionals, particularly for the safety of pregnant women and their children.

    Present at the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) were Commissioners of Health from the six beneficiary states; Abia, Cross River, Kaduna, Niger, Oyo and Sokoto that were selected for the first phase of the project. The six states were chosen following a thoroughly rigorous selection process, to become beneficiaries under the first phase of the MTNF Maternal Ward Support Project.

    Explaining the rationale behind the beneficial partnership, Ms. Nonny Ugboma, Executive Secretary, MTN Foundation said: “We are concerned about how maternal health can be improved. We also believe that the private sector must work with the government and the public sector to help reduce maternal mortality and ensure that our mothers and children lead healthy lives.”  Ugboma, who noted that a sizeable number of these deaths are from preventable causes while others occur due to lack of access to pre-natal care, further explained the huge benefit that the initiative brings “This is why we started the MTNF Maternal Ward Support Project. Through this initiative, we seek to contribute to creating unhindered access to health care systems and skilled health professionals for pregnant women in Nigeria.”

    The goal, under the first phase, is to renovate and equip maternal wards in at least 24 hospitals across the six states. Each maternal ward would be equipped with, 20 hospital beds; 20 standard hospital mattresses; 20 standard hospital bed pillows; 10 four-way foldable ward screens; 20 metal bedside cupboards;  20 visitors’ chairs; 10 drip stands; 20 hydraulic over-bed tables; 10 height adjustable baby cots and  two Carl Novel baby incubators.

    Following the launch, the Foundation hopes to sensitise women in these states to visit the maternal wards, so they can get easy access to the right care in a conducive environment.

    Assuring the foundation’s continuous support, Ugboma said “guided by our discussions with our stakeholders in the private and public sector, we will continue to invest in improving the quality of life of Nigerians in the areas of health, education and economic empowerment. “We are also grateful to millions of Nigerians, who continue to support our parent company – MTN Nigeria through easy or tough times,” she said.

    Expressing appreciation for the initiative,  a member of the House of Representatives,  Abass Tajudeen,  thanked  MTN Foundation for taking a bold step in supporting the government’s  efforts  in addressing issues of primary health care delivery.

    With the launch of the initiative, the MTNF and JNC hope to continue complementing government’s efforts to reduce child mortality with areas relating to focus on Primary Healthcare, retraining and re-orientation for birth attendants, especially in the rural areas and equitable distribution of healthcare facilities around the country.

    It will be recalled that the Foundation has  invested over N18 billion into key projects spread across health, education and economic empowerment. Recently, the foundation commenced the implementation of another 200 new projects, tagged: MTNF What Can We Do Together initiative. These projects are being executed based on nominations by members of the public last year and have been making tremendous impacts in communities around Nigeria.

    Experiences have shown that the birth process is perhaps one of the most dangerous journeys that most women are likely to make. This is especially troubling as worrying statistics revealing the extent of loss of lives emerge by the day.

    According to 2015 reports from the World Health Organisation (WHO), approximately 830 women die from preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth every day and 99 per cent of all maternal deaths occur in developing countries like Nigeria. An even more specific representation is provided by UNICEF, which reports that “every single day, Nigeria loses about 2,300 children under five and 145 women of childbearing age. This makes the country the second largest contributor to the under–five and maternal mortality rate in the world.”

    Due to the fundamental role a mother plays in the life of a child, Nigeria’s current statistics of 53, 000 deaths per year during childbirth is indicative of inherent lapses in the critical aspects of the healthcare delivery system.  A recent UNICEF reports said every 10 minutes, one woman dies on account of pregnancy/childbirth in Nigeria. These worrying statistics reveal the extent of damage that is being done and dim any hope of a possible solution if urgent steps are not taken. It also shows that financial and geographical access to care and good quality healthcare delivery service is becoming scarcer by the day.

  • Reps walk out MTN’s representative

    The House of Representatives on Tuesday walked out the representative of MTN, Mr Austin Iyasere over the non-appearance of his Chief Executive Officer, Mr Ferdinand Moolman.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Telecommunications Committee had been mandated by the House to look into the N1.04 trillion settlements negotiations between MTN and the Federal Government.

    Rep. Saheed Akinade-Fijabi (Oyo-APC), Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Telecommunications, decried that MTN’s letter referred the committee to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

    He added that MTN’s letter also referred the committee to the Central Bank of Nigeria and others to get the information it was seeking.

    The letter reads, “…in this regard, we wish to refer you to the appropriate government agencies, specifically the NCC, Ministers of Communication and Justice and Central Bank of Nigeria.
    “These agencies are in a position to furnish your committee with relevant information on this issue.”

    Member of the Committee, Rep. Ossai Ossai (PDP-Delta), expressed his anger when he quoted section 87 and 88 of the standing orders of the House.

    It states that the parliament could summon anyone before it and demand for information.

    Rep. Johnson Agbonayinma (Edo-PDP) said that due to MTN’s negligence, a lot of Nigerians had been killed because it failed to disconnect unregistered SIM cards which the insurgents used.

    He added that in as much as Nigeria wanted investors, its law must be respected.

    He recalled President Muhammadu Buhari’s comment saying that Government was interested more in security rather than the fine imposed on it by the NCC.

    “MTN is treading on a tiger’s back, we are here to represent our constituencies and we are talking about people’s lives, this is no joke,” he added.

    The Chairman of the committee said MTN’s CEO deliberately did not want to appear before the committee.

    It summoned the CEO again to appear before it at a later date.

     

  • ‘We ’ll unmask those behind MTN N50b payment’

    The Senate Committee on Communications yesterday affirmed its resolve to unmask those behind the payment of N50 billion by the Mobile Telecommunication Network (MTN).

    Its Chairman, Senator Gilbert Nnaji, said the committee was interested in knowing why MTN was directed to pay the money into a recovery account, instead of rooting it through the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC).

    He said the committee’s stance became necessary following reports that the matter was literally laid to rest due to the absence of the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, at its hearing last Thursday.

    The NCC, last October, imposed a fine of N1.04 trillion on MTN for contravening the directive on deactivation of 5.2 million unregistered subscribers.

    MTN was, however, reported to have paid N50 billion into government coffers as part of a deal to resolve the matter.

    Nnaji said most committee members saw Malami’s action in relation to the controversial N50 billion payment by MTN, as “not only at variance with the anti-corruption stance of the Federal Government, but an attempt to undermine Nigeria’s integrity and subject it to ridicule to impress South Africa.”

    He insisted that no sentiments would deter the committee from unmasking those behind the “national embarrassment”.

    The chairman said unravelling circumstances surrounding the deal became necessary due to the public outcry it continued to generate.

    Nnaji noted that the committee queried the intentions of the attorney-general “in unilaterally opening a new account with a name that had no correlation with the issue at hand and ordering MTN to credit same despite the Treasury Single Account (TSA).

    He said the committee’s believed that “if there were no ulterior motives, the Ministry of Justice could have gone through streamlined processes of, among others, rooting the money through NCC with sufficient notice to the Ministry of Communications instead of sidelining the major stakeholders and circumventing extant laws guiding public financial administration”.

    The senator said: “This is one transaction that has generated public suspicion, compelling the committee to invite relevant stakeholders to this meeting for adequate clarifications.

    “Issues from the foregoing are: into which account did MTN pay the N50 billion and which government agency acknowledged the payment?

    “If MTN actually paid, why did it disregard payment into NCC’s coffers as statutorily obliged?

    “If MTN paid into CBN’s recovery account, on whose directive did the network do so and what legal right does CBN have to lodge the money in a recovery account?”

    MTN’s Managing Director Ferdinand Moolman told the committee that as part of the service provider’s commitment to out-of-court settlement, the firm received a directive from the Justice Minister to lodge the money into the CBN-domicilled recovery account, which it complied with on February 24.

    In their separate responses at the session, Minister of Communications Adebayo Shittu and NCC Executive Vice Chairman Prof. Umar Dambata said they knew nothing about the payment and could not give any insight to the terms and basis of negotiations leading to the payment.

    The Accountant-General of the Federation Mr. Ahmed Idris, in acknowledging the payment, said he was directed to create the account with the name as suggested by the Minister of Justice.

    The CBN, represented by Mohammed A. Yakub, explained that as Federal Government’s banker, it acted merely in deference to a request from government agencies.

    The attorney-general of the federation was not at the hearing, as he was said to have travelled abroad.

    He was represented by the Director of Civil Litigation, Dayo Akpata, who said the matter was still in court and that as the chief law officer as well as a party in the case, the attorney general took the action in good faith.

    But this did not go down well with the committee, who dismissed the defence as “frivolous, face-saving and unacceptable”.

    The meeting was adjourned to two weeks to enable the attorney general to appear before the committee and explain to form the content of the committee’s report.

  • N780b fine: No deal yet with Fed Govt, says MTN

    N780b fine: No deal yet with Fed Govt, says MTN

    MTN Nigeria yester-day dismissed reports that it had reached a compromise with the federal government to pay a fine of N780 billion down from the N1.04 trillion originally imposed on it by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

    The Senate Committee on Communications which investigated the fine saga had announced that information at its disposal suggested that MTN had proposed to pay N300 billion between now and 2020.

    The committee was told that a proposal for out-of-court settlement of the fine was already ongoing between the MTN and the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, with respect of the fine which had been reduced to N780 billion.

    The solicitor-general of the federation, Taiwo Abiodun, was reported to have acknowledged the proposal. In the proposal, the telecommunications company told government it could only pay N300 billion between now and 2020.

    A breakdown of the proposal indicated that MTN, having already paid N50 billion to a recovery account at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), would pay another N100 billion via electronic transfer between Dec. 31, 2016 to Dec. 31, 2020.

    However, the company’s Chief Executive Officer in Nigeria, Ferdi Moolman, said yesterday that the claim of any settlement was premature, as the firm was still negotiating with the Federal Government.

    He said “confidential negotiations” were still ongoing with the authorities to achieve “an amicable resolution of the matter.”

    He did not elaborate and declared that “accordingly, no further comment can be made at this time.”

    The company has been negotiating with the government over a possible reduction of the fine and made a part payment of $251 million (N50 billion), also setting aside $600 million for further payment of the fine.

     

  • N1.4 tr fine: MTN proposes N300b settlement deal

    The Senate Committee on Communications yesterday took exception to the way and manner the out-of-court settlement arrangement between the Federal Government and MTN is being conducted regarding the N1.04 trillion fine imposed on MTN.

    The committee also frowned at the alleged shutting out of the Ministry of Communications Technology and the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) from the deal.

    The committee which conducted investigative hearing on the matter, expressed shock that an account in the name of “recovery account” was opened for the N50 billion fine paid by MTN as part of the settlement.

    Committee Chairman, Senator Gilbert Nnaji, noted that members of his committee were worried that a proposal initiated by the MTN for the reduction of the fine to N300 billion had been accepted by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, without recourse to the Ministry of Justice and the NCC.

    The committee said it has emerged that an initial 25 per cent reduction of the initial N1.04 trillion fine to N780 billion was on the order of the President Muhammadu Buhari.

    The committee brandished a document which showed the proposal by MTN indicating to pay N300 billion made up of N150 billion instalmental payment.

    The document further indicated that the N50 billion already paid by MTN is part of the settlement deal.

    It said parties have agreed that the N50 billion paid in good faith and without prejudice by MTN Nigeria on the 24th of February, 2016, in order to commence settlement negotiations will form part of the monetary components of the settlement in five equal and annual instalments between the date of execution of this agreement and 31 December, 2020.

    It said MTN Nigeria shall pay a total of N100 billion by electronic funds transfer to the Federal Recovery Account of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

    The payment, it said, will commence by 31 December, this year and will be made by 31 December of each subsequent year”

    The proposal also stated that the MTN would buy N80 billion worth of Nigeria’s foreign bond.

    The proposal which the committee said it got from the office of the Attorney General of the Federation was admitted by MTN.

    Accountant-General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris, who defended himself on allegation of opening the recovery account, told the committee that he acted on the demand of the Attorney-General.

    Idris insisted that he was not aware of what money was going to be lodged into the account.

    A representative of the Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr, Dayo Akpata, who labored to convince the committee about the necessity of opening the account was rebuffed.

    The committee insisted that the Attorney-General must appear in person before it within two weeks to explain the action.

  • Fine: MTN proposes N300b settlement deal with FG

    The Senate Committee on Communications has faulted the court settlement arrangement between the Federal Government and the Mobile Telecommunication Network (MTN) is being conducted regarding the N1.04 trillion fine imposed on company.

    The committee also frowned at the alleged shutting out of the Ministry of Communications Technology and the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) from the deal.

    The committee which conducted investigative hearing on the controversial matter, expressed shock that an account in the name of “recovery account” was opened for the N50 billion fine paid by the MTN as part of the settlement..

    Chairman of the committee, Senator Gilbert Nnaji, noted that members of his committee are worried that a proposal initiated by the MTN for the reduction of the fine to N300 billion had been accepted by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, without recourse to the Ministry of Justice and the NCC.

    The committee said that it has emerged that an initial 25 per cent reduction of the initial N1.04 trillion fine to N780 billion was on the order of the President Muhammadu Buhari.

    The committee brandished a document which showed the proposal by MTN indicating to pay N300 billion made up of N150 billion instalmental payment.

    The document further indicated that the N50 billion already paid by MTN is part of the settlement deal..

    It said that parties have agreed that the N50 billion paid in good faith and without prejudice by MTN Nigeria on the 24th of February, 2016, in order to commence settlement negotiations will form part of the monetary components of the settlement.

    It said that MTN Nigeria shall pay a total of N100 billion by electronic funds transfer to the Federal recovery account of the Central Bank of Nigeria.

    The payment, it said, will commence by 31 December, 2016 and will be made by 31 December of each subsequent year”

    The proposal also stated that the MTN would buy N80 billion worth of Nigeria’s foreign bond.

    The proposal which the committee said it got from the office of the Attorney General of the Federation was admitted by MTN.

     

     

     

  • GDP: FG will encourage MTN, Etisalat, others – Minister

    GDP: FG will encourage MTN, Etisalat, others – Minister

    • seeks more collaboration on employment generation

    The Federal Government of Nigeria has commended MTN Nigeria on its impressive contributions to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) since its inception in 2004.

    Speaking during his working visit to the Head Office of MTN Nigeria on Monday, the Honourable Minister for Communication, Barrister Adebayo Shittu, said that the federal government will do everything possible to encourage and develop innovative ideas from MTN Nigeria and indeed other telecommunication companies in the country.

    “As a matter of fact, as a person, I consider MTN as first and foremost a Nigerian company. Nigerian company in the sense that it is a company registered in Nigeria like any other company. In fact, the government appreciates the contributions MTN Nigeria is making to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), generating employment and putting smiles on the faces of Nigerians,” Shittu said.

    Speaking on the level of investment by MTN Nigeria, the Minister said: “MTN has made a lot of strides, pioneering efforts if I may say in regards to investment and in liberating Nigerians. As it were, time was when if you have to phone a relation, you will go to NITEL, queue up and pay through your nose for a minute or two. But with the coming of MTN and GSM, things have been wonderful.

    “There is no doubt over the last couple of months that we have had issues; those issues are normal in relationships like this. I want to assure you that the Nigerian government has nothing personal against MTN” while reassuring earlier that “my motivation for visiting companies is to do everything I can to give motivation and encouragement to companies operating in Nigeria.”

    It would be recalled that MTN Nigeria recently paid a sum N50billion to the Nigeria government in good faith with regards to the fine on the company by NCC. The company upon payment of the amount reiterated its commitment to the Nigeria government and assured of conducting its business within the parameters of the laws and regulations guiding its operations.

    The Company also reiterated its commitment to national security and human capital development as it places an unquantifiable premium on lives of Nigerians with its reinvigorated effort at complying with the SIM registration exercise.

    Stressing the value MTN has contributed, the Minister said: “I believe that MTN appreciates the fact that Nigerians love MTN. More than half of people who patronize GSM operations in Nigeria are your customers and I think that is an appreciation which must be acknowledged.”

    However, the Minister has promised to work in tandem with MTN Nigeria and other telecommunication companies in Nigeria to address challenges faced in the industry.

    “Am aware of deficiencies in broadband and some of the challenges you have mentioned. I want to assure you that we will do our best to collaborate with you to identify those things you can do very quickly and take all the needed steps to remedy the situation,” the Minister assured.

  • MTN must pay fine in full, Reps insist

    The House of Representatives has insisted that Global System for Mobile communication (GSM) service provider, MTN Nigeria must pay the N780billion fine slammed on it by the Nigerian Communications Commission  (NCC).

    This is as the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation  (AGF), Abubakar Malami and the Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari have been invited to appear before the House next week to explain and justify their roles in the negotiation process.

    It was disclosed yesterday that MTN had, in its proposal for settlement of the face-off with the NCC  planned to pay N300billion only out of the N1.04 trillion that was later reduced to N780billion.

    It proposed to pay N50billion it described as ‘goodwill offer’ and another N100billion in cash while the balance  would be paid with complementary services (in kind).

    The service provider also proposed to be listed on the Nigeria Stock Exchange (NSE) as part of the settlement negotiation.

    The lawmakers said since it was an incontrovertible fact that MTN was found culpable of breaching Sections 19 and 20 of the NCC Act, it was not position to dictate the terms of negotiation as it is currently doing.

    While condemning the exclusion of the National Assembly from the negotiation of the fine by the Federal Government, the lawmakers regretted that NCC was also relegated to the background in the exercise.

    MTN was penalised by the regulatory body for failing to deactivate 5.2 million improperly registered subscriber identity module (SIM) cards within a stipulated period stipulated by the NCC.

    At the resumed investigative hearing by House Committee on Communications, NCC’s Executive Vice Chairman, Prof Umar Dambatta said the position of the Commission was that MTN must pay the fine of N780b in full, even if in installmemts and not as it proposed.