What you should know about MTN Nigeria

MTN Nigeria is part of the MTN Group and one of Africa’s leading cellular telecommunication companies. MTN Group Limited, formerly M-Cell is a South Africa-based multinational mobile company which operates in many African, European and Asian countries. The headquarters is in Johannesburg, South Africa. MTN operates in over twenty countries of the world but one-third of its revenue come from Nigeria where it holds about 35% market share.

MTN became operational in Nigeria in the year 2001 and which happens to be the very first telecommunication company to start operation in Nigeria. The full services began in Lagos, Abuja, and Port-Harcourt before moving to the other 33 states of the country. MTN Nigeria network has covered everywhere in the country including the remote areas too.

MTN Nigeria paid a whooping amount of 285m dollars for its operational license before starting operation in 2001. Based on reports, the telecommunication company has invested up to 2 trillion dollars in Nigeria.

The continued patronage of customers have enabled the telecommunications company grow and develop into Nigeria’s leading communication provider serving over 52 million subscribers with good network that reaches everywhere which makes the company  Nigeria’s premier provider of connectivity, communication and solutions. One of the main reason Nigerians use MTN service is the MTN Data. Its one of the best in terms of coverage, though MTN Data Bundles are relatively pricey, they are still affordable. Visit their website for detailed instruction on how to buy MTN Data
The company commissioned its 3400 digital microwave transmission which is the “Y’elloBahn in 2003. It happens to be the most extensive digital microwave transmission infrastructure in Africa which gave the network a better boost.

MTN Nigeria was fined in 2015 by the federal government of Nigeria through the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) for not meeting the deadline set up by the Mobile network operators for disconnection of improper registration of SIMs. MTN Nigeria was fined 5.2 billion dollars according to the constitution. The compliance audit carried out by the NCC on network revealed unregistered 5.2 million customers lines were not deactivated as instructed. It led to the NCC fining MTN Nigeria with the sum of 1000 dollars for each unregistered SIM which amounted to 5.2 billion dollars.

The chief executive officer, head of Nigeria operations and head of cooperate affairs had to resign due to the fine by the NCC but were later replaced with Phuthuma Nhleko, Ferdi Moolman and Amina Oyegbola as the new CEO, Head of corporate affairs and Regulations respectively. The new management later worked on bringing down the burden of the liabilities which brought about the reduction of the fine to 3.2 billion dollars.

MTN Nigeria established a foundation called the MTN Foundation. The foundation is the corporate social responsibility vehicle of the communication company. According to the foundation, MTN currently has 341 project sites across the country. It was also reported that a South African Holding company, Shanduka Group acquired a minority stake in MTN Group’s Nigeria business for $335 million in 2012.