$5.2b fine: Buhari to determine MTN’s fate

Communications Technology Minister Adebayo Shittu yesterday said the Federal Government had no intention of bending the rules to allow MTN go unpunished over the subscriber identity module (SIM) card infractions that earned it a N1.4trillion ($5.2billion) fine.

He, however, said President Muhammadu Buhari has the final say on the fine, adding that the president will  apply his wisdom to decide the fate of the telco.

Shittu said the sheer number of pre-registered SIM cards discovered on the network of the telco was alarming and worrisome, arguing that MTN has not disputed the “charge” but had apologised and promised not to do that again

The minister who spoke on the sideline of the meeting of the Alliance for Affordable Internet (A4A1), his maiden official visit to Lagos, said: “They (MTN) admitted that they were at fault and they apologised for their role in the whole saga. And they have made a commitment that what happened will never happen again and of course we will take the necessary decision at the appropriate time.

“Nigerians should expect that Mr. President will do the best to ensure that public interest is guaranteed. It is not about the money itself; it is about making sure that Nigerians appreciate (the need to respect the law).  I want to repeat this, nobody wants MTN to die. It is not in the interest of Nigeria for MTN Nigeria to die because as far as I am concerned, MTN Nigeria Limited is a Nigerian company.  It may have originated from South Africa, but it is a Nigerian company. The Chairman of the board and the Chief Executive Officer are all Nigerians.”