MTN gets NCC nod to disconnect VAS operators over debts

By Adeyemi Adepetun

01 February 2023   |   3:13 am

Teenage Spelling Bee winner to be firm’s one-Day CEO today

MTN has received a backing from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to disconnect some Value Added Service (VAS) operators over their failure to pay up their interconnect debts. 

According to a public notice sighted by The Guardian on Monday, titled: Pre-Disconnection Notice Made Pursuant to the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003 and the Guidelines on Procedure for Granting Approval to Disconnect Telecommunications Operators,” the NCC notified the public that approval has been granted to disconnect some licensees from MTN Nigeria Communications network as a result of non-settlement of international interconnect charges.

   

While The Guardian learnt that the interconnect debt runs into hundreds of millions, the NCC listed the affected firms to include Polo Solutions Projects Limited; BreezeMicro Limited; Exchange Telecoms Limited; Information Connectivity Solutions Limited.

  

Others are Sleekchip Technologies Limited; Alpha Technologies Limited and Western Microlink Communications Limited.

   

NCC explained that it received applications to disconnect the licensees and in accordance with itsGuidelines on “Procedure for Granting Approval to Disconnect Telecommunications Operators,” the affected licensees were notified of the application and were given opportunity to comment and state their cases.

“The commission, having examined the application and circumstances surrounding the indebtedness, determined that the affected licensees do not have sufficient and or any justifiable reason for non-payment of the international interconnect charges and therefore decided to grant approval as requested,” the notice reads.

 

Consequently, NCC asked the public to take note that it has approved the request to disconnect the listed licensees in accordance with Section 100 of the NCA 2003 and Paragraph 8 of the Guidelines on Procedure for Granting Approval to Disconnect Telecommunications Operators.

“Take notice that MTN will cease receiving international voice calls and data from the listed licensees. This disconnection will subsist until otherwise determined by the commission,” NCC stated.

  

Recall that as of 2019,interconnect debt was put at about N165 billion in Nigeria’s telecoms industry and MTN was owed about 45 per cent of the debts, especially by VAS operators, vendors and some other mobile network operators.

 

Meanwhile, a teenage Spelling Bee sensation is to become first female CEO of MTN Nigeria.

According to a statement, young Kate Ene David, a 14-year-old teenage resident of Nasarawa will be resuming at the corporate headquarters of MTN Nigeria in Lagos, today, February1, as the One-day CEO of the telecoms firm.

  

The young CEO will be welcomed to the HQ by the Chief Human Resources Officer, Esther Akinnukawe, and will take a tour of the MTN Nigeria’s corporate head office.

Ene-David earned her place as the One-Day CEO of the ICT giant when she emerged as the winner of the 2022 MTNmPulse Spelling Bee Competition. She contested against 19 other top finalists and won the top spot when she spelled the word ‘acquiesce’.

  

In addition to her role as one-day CEO, the SS2 student of intimacy with Christ School received a N2.5million-scholarship grant, a laptop and a smartphone. Her English teacher and school were also presented with a N350, 000 grant and state-of-the-art ICT devices respectively. All the 19 finalists also won exciting prizes with the first and second runners-up also walking away with scholarships, grants and other gifts.