The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC)

  • Court dismisses suit seeking to compel MTN to pay N1.04trn fine

    Court dismisses suit seeking to compel MTN to pay N1.04trn fine

    A Federal High Court in Abuja Friday rejected a suit seeking to compel MTN Nigeria Communications Limited to pay into the federation account N1.40trillion, being the fine that was imposed on it by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

    Justice Babatunde Quadri, in a judgment Friday, also refused to issue an order of mandamus to compel NCC to perform its statutory obligation under section 45(1) (a) (b) and (c) of the Nigeria Communications Act, by revoking MTN’s operation license, pending when it paid the fine.

    The judgment was on a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/448/2016, filed by a member of the House of Representatives, Raphael Igbokwe and Emmanuel Njoku, who said the sued for themselves and on behalf of “Nigerians Against Exploitation By Telecommunications Operators.”

    The plaintiffs had, among others, queried the powers of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and the Minister of Communications Technology to reduce the N1.04trillion fine imposed on MTN to N780billion.

    Defendants in the suit were the NCC, MTN, the AGF and the Minister of Communication Technology.

    Justice Quadri upheld preliminary objections filed by the defendants against the suit, to the effect that the suit was statute barred.

    He upheld their contention that 30 days had elapsed before the plaintiffs approached the court to challenge the fine they said was reduced since 2015.

    The judge said the plaintiffs did not fulfil necessary condition precedent to the filling of such suit, and that they failed to exhaust all other remedies that were provided in sections 86, 87 and 88 of the NCC Act and Order 34 of the Federal High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules.

    He said the plaintiffs ought to have applied for statement of reason from the NCC, request for a review of the decision of the commission within 30 days, and specify reasons why they wanted MTN to be compelled to pay the fine in full.

    Justice Quadri said it was only after the conditions were met that the plaintiffs could apply to court for a judicial review of the decision.

    The plaintiffs through their lawyer, Okere Kingdom, prayed the court to among other things, determine the following questions:

    “Whether or not the Hon. Minister of Justice/Attorney General of the Federation and the Minister of Communications Technology have powers to amend, alter, adjust or vary any provisions of a delegated legislation or any other law validly made by the National Assembly, or any rules, regulations and orders validly made by any delegated legislature pursuant to an Act of the National Assembly.

    “Whether or not the National Assembly of Nigeria or any Arm of the National Assembly has the constitutional powers to constitute an investigative panel and to summon any government official, to inquire into the circumstances surrounding the alteration, variation and reduction of the fine lawfully imposed on MTN Nigeria Communications Ltd by NCC, which fine was imposed pursuant to delegated powers conferred on the NCC by an Act of the National Assembly.

    “Whether or not MTN Nigeria Communications Ltd has breached section 146(1) and (2) of the NCC Act and sections 19(1) and 20 (1) and (2) of the NCC (Registration of Telephone Subscribers Regulations) 2011, by intentionally and willfully failing to disconnect and register all unregistered subscribers on its network as stipulated in the Act.”

    Igbokwe stated, in a affidavit, that the House of Reps had by a motion moved by Hon. Ehiozuwa Johnson captioned ‘need to investigate the payment made by MTN on the fine levied by the NCC’, constituted a committee to investigate issues, circumstances and motives behind “the huge reduction of the N1.40trillion fine imposed on MTN.

    He stated that controversies surrounding the reduction of the fine was a matter of public interest for which Nigerians deserved to know, adding that both Malami and Shittu refused to appear before the House of Reps investigative committee, “thereby denying Nigerians oppurtunity to know the said circumstances and rationale leading to the reduction of the fine”.

  • NCC moves to checkmate SIM Swap fraud

    NCC moves to checkmate SIM Swap fraud

    Ms Helen Obi, Head of Zonal Operations, Nigerian Communications Commission ( NCC ) on Friday said that the commission has put in place a regulation to checkmate SIM Swap fraud.

    Obi said this in an interview in Jos.

    A SIM is a smart card inside a mobile phone, carrying identification number unique to the owner.

    While SIM Swap is the process of replacing your existing SIM with a new SIM and moving your existing number, data etc. to a new SIM.

    She said that the new regulation put in place to stop SIM Swap fraud was in the interest of customers.

    According to her, SIM SWAP fraud has a lot of issues attached to it because often times, you find a lot of people who are not the owners of these numbers going to do SIM SWAP at various centres.

    “We have cases of fraudulent activities done on people’s bank account as a result of SIM SWAP and they complain to the commission expecting that the commission would compensate them.

    “We have now put a regulation in place advising these operators to demand for certain requirements and criteria before allowing SIM swapped.

    She said that anybody coming for SIM Swap must prove that the number that was been requested to be swapped belonged to him/her.

    Obi said that once that is done, there would be no complain and the operators would not be left in doubt.

    “ So it is all in the interest of consumers that we are doing this because of the complaints, especially the one that has to do with fraudulent activities on the consumer’s bank account.

    “What we as a regulatory authority keep advising and encouraging our consumers to do is that they should also help the commission to serve them better by following laid down rules.

    Some subscribers, said that Network providers were putting them through stress to have a SIM replaced.

    They said that they were being asked to bring court affidavit, national identification card, SIM pack amongst other requirements.

    Mrs Ola Adedeji, an ICT expert, applauded the idea of asking subscribers to identify themselves properly before replacing lost SIM.

    Adedeji said that her problem with the network providers was that subscribers were not adequately informed about the new development.

    “It is okay to ask a subscriber, who lost a SIM card and want a replacement, to properly identify himself or herself before a re-issue.

    “But my problem with the network providers is that they should educate customers properly so as to enable us prepare ourselves before coming for replacement.

    Mr Collins Okeke, a trader at Lugbe, said that he was not happy with the development of going through the stress of retrieving a misplaced SIM as network providers are asking them to bring so many things.

    Okeke said that last time he went to do a welcome back at GLO office, he was asked to swear affidavit because he did not get his SIM pack.

    “I am not happy with the development because I did not know of all these protocols as I was not previously informed.

    “NCC and network providers should embark on serious sensitisation campaigns to properly educate subscribers on the need to provide the items for proper identification.’’

    NAN

  • Our problems will persist until we find enduring solutions to identity – CHAMS GMD

    Our problems will persist until we find enduring solutions to identity – CHAMS GMD

    Chams Plc, one of Nigeria’s leading companies has evolved over the last 3 decades from computer and hardware maintenance to the provision of enterprise technology solutions in identity management and identity transaction systems for the public and private sectors.

    Recently, it facilitated the identification process for the government of the state of Osun. The initiative called ‘Kaadi Omoluabi’ has received several accolades and commendations from the Osun citizenry and other stakeholders within and outside the state.

    Mr. OLUFEMI WILLIAMS, the Group Managing Director of the firm, in an interview with The Nation reporter MOSES EMORINKEN sheds some light on the relevance and ubiquitous benefits and solutions of data capturing to the social, economic and political problems bedeviling the country.

    What is the relevance of the Omoluabi Identity Card to the Osun citizenry?

    As His Excellency, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, the executive governor of the state of Osun mentioned at the launch of the initiative on Tuesday, the Identity Card Initiative is about knowing the people that he governs. There is no way the government can plan or manage the affairs of the state, especially with respect to what the people want without detailed understanding of biometric statistics.

    It also helps the government measure the effectiveness of the services it delivers to the people.

    It creates a platform for any member of the state to conveniently transact with the government and vice-versa.

    For instance, if the government wants to build new schools or construct new roads, it can easily make objective and informed decisions about which part(s) of the state needs these infrastructural facilities depending on the population of the people, where economic transactions are preponderant, etc.

    It allows government institutions to have interconnected database. It cuts out the duplicity in registering and capturing biometric data of its citizenry. This initiative provides a unique number that can be used for such purposes.

    We did it for students and the impact was major. Immediately, the cost of managing, sponsoring and promoting affairs around the educational sector was optimized. Before then, there were haphazard approaches because of the paucity in statistics.

    Now, with the touch of a button the educational details of a child for can be generated. This leads to measurable results over time.

    How long did it take CHAMS to come up with this solution?

    This is the forte and core competence area of CHAMS. We have participated in similar projects in the past. We have been on this project for four years. The reason was because the government had more pressing project at the time before very recently it decided to take up the Identity Card Initiative.

    This novel innovation in identity capturing is not only opened to indigenes of the state but also to residents within the state.

    [jwplayer DizxIfKw]

    What is the level of response of the people of the state to this initiative?

    The responses have been very encouraging from members of private organisations and the civil society. They believe that the initiative is very timely and custom-made for the people and government of the state.

    Does CHAMS have plans to diversify into other real sectors?

    Our core focus lies in delivering intelligent business solutions. However, there are two major industries we intend to dominate in the next few months, they are – Agriculture and Health acre. For now, that is all we can reveal.

    Is it possible to have a central database for the biometric data of Nigeria to avoid proliferation and duplicity?

    This can be answered in two ways – technical and political. I have an authoritative response to the former but with little or no political explanations for the later.

    Technically, one of the projects awarded for data capturing in 1976 by former President Olusegun Obasanjo would have solved it. However, the problems of awarding and re-awarding contracts have brought us to where we are today.

    The only solution is what the Federal Government is trying to do – which is harmonization. There is a need to harmonize these databases together. The process will be challenging but not impossible to do. At the moment there exists huge repository of data at the Federal Road Safety Commission ( FRSC ), sim card registration centres, Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC ), Nigerian Communications Commission ( NCC ), states etc. There are solutions and technologies that can harmonize data effectively.

    What exactly is CHAMS as an organisation doing differently?

    Every business goes through series of transformations. For CHAMS, we have evolved overtime according to the overwhelming changes in the needs, expectations and taste of consumers. We started as a Computer Hardware and Maintenance Company, to Networking and then to Smart Card Technology. It was the Smart Card Technology that led to the formation of value card; which was the first successful payment card in Nigeria.

    After a while, we moved into Identity Management because we realised that the problem(s) of this country will not disappear until we solve the processes of identity. Identity is like the Certificate of Ownership (C of O) for land. The (C of O) is an ordinary document, however, because we believe that the (C of O) represents a land somewhere, we can conveniently do a transaction with it. The same things can be done with the identity number to represent a person.

    The next phase for us is to translate the business from just Identity Management into intelligent businesses that can be built on identity. We have the human capital to deliver. We have a bunch of experienced, versatile and energetic executives to drive the processes.

    What should we expect from charms in the next 5 years?

    We would have dominated two industries and be listed on the London Stock Exchange.

  • Internet users hit 93m in September – NCC

    Internet users hit 93m in September – NCC

    The Nigerian Communications Commission ( NCC ) announced on Tuesday that subscribers browsing the internet through its network increased to 93 million in September from 92.1 million the previous month.

    The telecommunications industry regulator made the disclosure in its monthly internet subscribers’ data on its website.

    The commission said the data showed a marginal increase of 815,764 subscribers during the period.

    It said that the data reflected internet users on both the Global System for Mobile ( GSM ) communications and the Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) networks.

    The regulator said that 92.97 million out of the 93 million internet users in September were on GSM network while 30,309 users were on the CDMA network.

    The data showed that MTN had 32.5 million subscribers, browsing its network in the month under review as against 32.1 million in August, indicating an increase of 359,409 internet subscribers.

    According to NCC, Globacom has 26.942 million customers, surfing its network in September, revealing a decrease of 12,405 users from the 26.955 million that surfed the network in August.

    Airtel had 21.76 million internet users in September, showing an increase of 600,400 customers from the 21.16 million recorded in August.

    The data also showed that 9mobile had 11.71 million customers, who browsed in September, indicating a decrease of 131,640 users from the 11.84 million users in August.

    For CDMA operators, Visafone had 30,305 customers surfing its internet in September while Multi-Links had only four internet users.

    Both operators had a total of 30,309 users in September, the same figure recorded by the two operators in August.

    NAN

  • Digital trackable identity essential for curbing crimes – NCC

    Digital trackable identity essential for curbing crimes – NCC

    Mr Tony Ojobo, the Public Affairs Director of the Nigerian Communications Commission ( NCC ), has said that online trackable identity was essential to curb crimes in the country.

    Speaking at the Public Relations Directors’ Summit, organised by the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations ( NIPR ) on Monday in Lagos, Ojobo said that digital trackable identity would help to boost online businesses.

    He described trackable identity as the ability to identify an individual through some natural physiological features, as may be shown by photographs or marks and such other characteristics.

    According to him, ‘today, it is being more associated with the ability to identify a particular person in cyberspace, or in electronic devices which offers digital identification.

    “The scope of trackable identity is being widened within the digital world to include tracking objects with application of tags that could be linked to a mobile phone or other devices.

    “Advancements in Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) have given a new definition and application to trackable identity.

    ”Therefore, trackable identity, in this context, could be called, digital identity,” he said.

    Ojobo said that identity had become a commodity, as people created data bases of identities to enable them target specific segments or define characteristics of such markets.

    He said that while traditional identification rely on passwords, PINs, smart cards, and the like, biometric identification using finger prints and iris scans were generally more reliable and secure.

    According to him, biometric identity is also more reliable in linking individuals to event and action, therefore preferred by security institutions in fighting crimes.

    He said that with that in mind, NCC initiated the registration of Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) Cards in Nigeria in 2011, and was officially completed on June 30, 2013.

    “The major reason why the scheme was initiated was the result of the frequent use of phone services in committing crimes and the difficulty it posed to security agencies in solving such crimes.

    “It was full biometric registration, with fingerprints and digital photographs of the registrants taken at the point of registration.

    “It became the most reliable data base of Nigerian citizens given the number of subscribers in the network, which was more than 113 million then.

    “It is evident that the level of ICT development will invariably determine how secure the environment would be for business

    “Nigeria’s Internet subscription as at July 2017 is about 91.6 million, an indication that substantial number of trackable identities on the internet in Nigeria would be found on the mobile platforms,” Ojobo said.

    He said that Nigeria’s level of telecommunication growth had potentials to facilitate trackable identity and in turn contribute to ease of doing business.

    The director said that online shopping malls, online banking, online ticketing and reservations, online hotel bookings, which demanded secure trackable identity platforms were thriving in Nigeria.

    According to the NCC spokesman, telecommunication and ICT are indispensable to trackable identity and Nigeria’s advancements in these directions has created a good leverage for ease of doing business.

    NAN

  • NCC remits N133.4bn to Federation Account in two years

    NCC remits N133.4bn to Federation Account in two years

    The Nigerian Communications Commission ( NCC ) said it had remitted N133.4 billion to the consolidated revenue fund of the Federal Government between 2015 and 2017.

    This was contained in a statement signed by the Director, Public Affairs, NCC, Mr Tony Ojobo on Thursday in Lagos.

    Ojobo said that NCC’s primary role was not only to generate revenue for the government but to nurture and regulate the telecommunications industry.

    He said that the figures obtained from the commission showed impressive remittance of funds to the coffers of the consolidated revenue of the Federal Government, especially in the last two years.

    According to him, NCC’s last remittance to the consolidated revenue fund, which was on June 30, 2017, was N12.7 billion.

    “It came just less than 10 days after the NCC remitted the sum of N1.3 billion to the account,” he said.

    Ojobo explained that commission transferred N81 billion in 2016 comprising N35 billion transferred in March and N46 billion in December 2016 respectively.

    “In 2015 however, the commission remitted N23, 512,316,450 in October after paying N6, 856,182,132 in September of the same year.

    “It is noteworthy also that the quarterly contribution of telecommunications sector to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has been consistently impressive in the last two years,” he said.

    NAN reports that recently, the Chief Executive Officer of NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta said that the sector contributed N1.549 trillion to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the second quarter of 2017.

    It represented 6.68 per cent increase from the first quarter of the year contribution of N1.452 trillion.

    The National Bureau of Statistics report had confirmed that the telecommunications sector, during the second quarter of 2017, contributed 9.5 per cent to the GDP in contrast to 9.1 per cent contribution in the first quarter of the year.

    Similarly, Ojobo said that the nation’s quest for attainment of 30 per cent broadband penetration by 2018, had received a major boost.

    He said the ITU-UNESCO Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development confirmed that Nigeria had achieved 21 per cent level of penetration, from less than 10 per cent two years earlier.

  • ‘NCC committed to achieving 30% broadband penetration by 2018’

    ‘NCC committed to achieving 30% broadband penetration by 2018’

    The Nigerian Communications Commission ( NCC ) says it is committed to achieving the 30 per cent approved National Broadband Implementation Plan by 2018.

    Prof. Umar Danbatta, Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, said this on Wednesday at the Nigeria Digital Innovation Conference in Ibadan.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the conference is sponsored by Centre for Cyber Awareness and Development ( CECAD ) in conjunction with Federal Ministry of Communication and NCC.

    The theme of the conference is “Building a New Nigeria in Digital Economy: Policy, Innovation and Entrepreneurship’’

    Danbatta, who was represented by Mr Reuben Muoka, NCC Head of Public Affairs, said that the plan was part of the 8-point agenda conceptualised for comprehensive national economic growth.

    He said that Nigeria’s broadband penetration was empirically adjudged by the global telecom regulator, the International Telecommunications Union ( ITU ), as 21 per cent in 2017.

    “We have witnessed the success of online shopping malls, online banking and other transactions in a way that it is being experienced in far more developed countries.

    “We are supporting ICT innovations in our institutions of higher learning and among several youth organisations across the country,’’ he said.

    Danbatta said that the Commission had taken the agenda as its guide in measuring regulatory impact and aligning development agenda in the course of regulating one of Africa’s biggest telecom market.

    The Executive Vice Chairman said that the NCC would not relent in its effort at promoting investment opportunities and selling the country’s investment potentials to the international telecom community.

    The NCC boss also said that the toll free 622 secondary consumer complaints initiative had been upgraded, adding that the success rate of resolution of consumer complaints on the platform had reached 75 per cent.

    “We have intensified our monitoring and compliance activities to achieve sanity and compliance to the rules of the game.

    “We are in the process of introducing a mandatory corporate governance code to improve the level of integrity of the industry,’’ he said.

    Also speaking, Mr Gbenga Sesan, Executive Director, Paradigm Initiative Nigeria ( PIN ), said that lack of commitment to innovative ideas accounted for the 56 per cent unemployment rate in the country.

    Sesan, who recalled how he made headway through strong innovation in 1997, charged students to stop giving excuses, saying such could limit their future.

    “I don’t think there is a reason for any student to graduate without a skill with the presence of the internet. Stop complaining about government.

    “What you become in the future is the product of whatever you start now,’’ he said.

    Mr Sunday Afolayan, President, Nigeria Internet Registration Association ( NIRA ), said the association was committed to ensuring that the identity and investment of Nigerians was maintained and protected.

    Afolayan also said that the association would ensure that Nigerians participated favourably in the digital space.

    Mr Bayo Oyeleke, Deputy Rector, The Polytechnic Ibadan, thanked the organisers for choosing the institution as the venue for the conference in the South West Zone.

    Oyeleke said that the conference would open the windows for students who participate actively.

    NAN reports that the conference was organised to promote innovation in tertiary institutions and as an avenue for students to interact with stakeholders and experts in the digital innovation world.

  • Ministries of education, communication urged to upgrade ICT curriculum

    Ministries of education, communication urged to upgrade ICT curriculum

    Mr Tony Ojobo, the Director, Public Affairs, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has urged stakeholders in the ministries communication and education to pull resources together to upgrade schools’ curriculum on ICT education.

    Ojobo made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja.

    He said that the stakeholders should work together to fashion out a way to upgrade schools’ curriculum from the primary school level to enhance ICT education.

    He said that there was an urgent need to review schools’ curriculum to improve the content of ICT education to make the country to be at par with global standard.

    “Advancement in technology’s today makes it expedient for the ministry of education to look into schools’ curriculum and improve the content of computer education to meet global trends.

    “There is a need for the ministry of education to be involved so that we can look at the curriculum and involve ICT experts and professionals to improve and add things that will put pupils and students on the path of innovation.

    “So there is a need for capacity building, we also need to train trainers, capacity building is very important and we believe that this capacity should be built from the primary school level.

    “And to secondary and the tertiary education, there should be a review of the content in the curriculum in such a way that it is progressive to the point that students will begin to apply technology tools.’’

    Ojobo said that many developed countries started from the cradle to teach their young people about technology and they are also encouraged to create things on their own, “Nigeria should do the same’’.

    “I’ve heard the minister of communication saying from time to time that oil is becoming scarce like a diamond, and ICT is the next oil.

    “We have statistics that are coming from the ICT industry and I give you an example; Facebook, for instance, is a technology brand that started 12 years ago.

    “Today Facebook is worth more than 350 billion dollars, a 12-year company, started by a 16-year-old boy.

    “Now our entire reserve in terms of how much we have as a nation, the last result showed that we have about 31 billion dollars.

    “We need to begin to shift our focus from the natural resources to our mental resources as the way forward and that will take us out of the woods and bring us to technological advancement,’’ he said.

  • NSCDC arrest six for sale of unregistered SIM cards in Jigawa

    NSCDC arrest six for sale of unregistered SIM cards in Jigawa

    The Nigeria Security  and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC), Jigawa Command says it has arrested six persons for allegedly selling unregistered SIM cards in the state.

    Mr Adamu Abdullahi, the command’s spokesman made this known to journalists in Dutse on Wednesday.

    Abdullahi said five out of the suspects were arrested on Hakimi Street and at New Market, Dutse, while other was held at Hadejia Town.

    He said the corps confiscated over 5,000 assorted SIM cards during the raid.

    The NSCDC spokesman assured the public that the corps would continue to stop the illegal sale and use of such SIM cards, stressing that illegal sale of SIM cards posed serious threat to national security.

    “These are the types of SIM cards used by insurgents, armed robbers, kidnappers and other criminals.

    “It is the mandate of the NSCDC to protect critical national assets and infrastructure, including the safeguard of all telecommunication facilities in the state,” he said.

    He appealed to Nigerians to stop using unregistered SIM cards.

    Contributing, Mr Salisu Abdu, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) Head of Enforcement Unit, reminded the residents that all new SIM cards must be registered before

    NCC in collaboration with NSCDC, had on July 6, apprehended four other suspects over the same offence and were found in possession of 70 unregistered SIM cards.

  • Loan repayment: Banks’ shareholders push for takeover of Etisalat

    Loan repayment: Banks’ shareholders push for takeover of Etisalat

    Some shareholder groups in the nation’s capital market on Tuesday urged Etisalat Nigeria to settle the N1.2 billion debt it owed 13 commercial banks to avoid a takeover.

    A cross section of the shareholder groups stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Tuesday.

    They insisted that the company must settle the debt for the banks to meet up with their dividend obligations.

    Mr Boniface Okezie, National Coordinator, Progressive Shareholders Association of Nigeria, called on Etisalat to settle the debt owed the commercial banks to avoid a legal action.

    Okezie said that the affected banks should approach the court for receivership if Etisalat failed to settle the debt.

    He stated that the banks had obligations to their shareholders in terms of dividend payment at the end of the financial year, insisting that the debt must be paid.

    Also, Mr Godwin Anono, the Chairman of Nigeria Professional Shareholders Association, said that the company should settle the debt and desist from making unnecessary noise about the whole thing.

    He said the transaction was in line with customer-bank relationship, noting that terms and conditions must be obeyed.

    Anono said further that the shareholders were in support of the banks to acquire the company if it failed to settle the loan.

    “This is like any other transaction, it’s not government business and I stand on existing protocol that the banks should acquire the company,’’ he said.

    In his view, Mr Sewa Wusu, Head Research, SCM Capital Ltd., said that the issue of loan between Etisalat and the consortium of banks was a customer-bank relationship which ought to be settled amicably with terms agreeable between both parties.

    He said that the issue was beginning to elicit concerns in the banking industry given the level of amount involved and its potential impact on the balance sheets of those banks involved.

    “But I think, the monetary authority is also involved to ensure prompt settlement of the situation among the parties,’’ he said.

    Etisalat, on June 20, said it had been instructed to transfer its 45 per cent stake in Etisalat Nigeria to a loan trustee.

    It said it had been notified to transfer its stake by June 23, saying that the stake had a carrying value of zero on its books.

    However, in the last few months, Etisalat Nigeria has been in talks with Nigerian banks to restructure a 1.2 billion-dollar loan after missing repayments.

    The loan is a seven-year facility agreed with 13 banks in 2013 to refinance a 650 million-dollar loan and fund expansion of its network.

    Although the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Central Bank of Nigeria stepped into the fray to prevent a takeover by the banks, those discussions failed to produce an agreement on restructuring the debt.