Nigerian govt threatens to fine MTN, Glo, Airtel, 9mobile as it releases new guidelines

Network providers in Nigeria face a proposed fine of N200,000 if they fail to verify and validate their subscribers’ biometric, National Identity Number (NIN) and other personal information.

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) made the proposal in a document containing fine for other misconduct relating to regulation of telephone subscribers registration.

Recall that the industry regulator had sanctioned Globacom, 9mobile, Airtel and MTN Nigeria in 2015, for failing to comply with its directive on SIM deactivation.

Globacom, Etisalat (9mobile), Airtel and MTN Nigeria were all fined N7.4 million, N7 million, N3.8 million, and N102.2 million respectively, before the y’ello network was further fined N1.04 trillion over failure to deactivate 5.1 million unregistered lines.

NCC later cut the fine to N330 billion, with a demand that MTN list on the Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX). The regulator has now proposed another fine for network provider that doesn’t adhere to its regulation.

What you need to know

It’s now an offence for MTN, Airtel, Glo and 9mobile to preregister a customer or activate a subscription without capturing and registering personal information, NCC said in a document on its website.

“Any licensee who fails to capture, or who preregisters, register, deregister or transmit the details of any individual or corporate subscribers to the Central Database as specified in these Regulations or as may be stipulated from time to time by the Commission is liable to a penalty of N200,000.00 for each subscription medium,” the draft reads.

“A licensee who activates any Subscription Medium without capturing, registering and transmitting the personal information to the Central Database commits an offence and shall on conviction be liable to a fine of N200,000.00 for each unregistered activated Subscription Medium.

“A Licensee who fails to verify and validate biometric, NIN and other personal information before activation is liable to a penalty of N200, 000 for each subscription medium in breach of these requirements.”