FG shelves fine negotiations until after house of reps probe

Media reports have revealed that the federal government has announced that the planned new talks with South Africa-based MTN Nigeria over the fine imposed on it would be delayed until after the probe by the House of Representatives.

Adebayo Shittu, minister of Communications, while speaking to reporters yesterday after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, in Abuja said, "As soon as the ongoing (parliamentary) investigations are concluded we will sit down with them (MTN)."

The House of Representatives, last month, launched a probe into the reduction of the fine, which was originally to the tune of $5.2 billion.

In December, the NCC had reduced the fine to a still enormous $3.9 million. The House then launched its investigation after MTN snubbed an invitation to its Nigeria Chief Executive Ferdi Moolman to appear at the telecoms committee, media reports say.

In March, MTN offered to pay $1.5 billion, according to a document seen by Reuters. Then it dropped a legal case against the regulator as the first step in its efforts to reach an out of court settlement.