March 1st, 2013 – NCC Fined MTN, Globacom,
Etisalat and Airtel N22m For Promos Ban
Violation
The Nigerian Communications Commission
(NCC) has again sanctioned MTN, Globacom,
Etisalat and Airtel for contravening the ban on
promotions and lotteries, which it banned last
year .
The four mobile service providers are to pay a total
sum of N22 million only being the cumulative
amount as sanctions for contravening the ban on
promotions and lotteries in their respective networks
as placed by the commission.
Last year, NCC fined the same four GSM
operators N1.7 billion for poor quality of
service on their networks. Although the
operators protested the fine, they eventually
paid after months of argument.
Announcing the latest sanction yesterday in Abuja,
the Head, Media and Public Relations for NCC, Mr.
Reuben Muoka said MTN Nigeria would pay N10
million on account of five promotions at N2 million
for each promotion while Etisalat would pay N6
million for three promotions running on its network.
Airtel, he said, would pay N4 million for running two
promotions against the ban while Globacom would
pay N2 million for one promotion.
“All the operators have seven days to pay their
respective sanction amounts from the date of
receipt of the sanction notice on February 22,
2013, and are liable to payment of the sum of
N1 million for any day that the contravention
persists,” Muoka said.
The notice of the sanctions, signed by the
commission’s Director of Legal and Regulatory
Services, Ms. Josephine Amuwa, said “In the event of
further non-compliance with the ban, and or refusal
to pay the sanction amount within the stipulated
time, the commission shall have no other option than
to impose stiffer penalties in accordance with the
powers of the commission, including but not limited
to payment of N1 million for each day that the
contravention persists”.
The sanction notice stated that the failure of
the service providers to discontinue the
promotions in accordance with the
commission’s directives is a direct
contravention of guidelines on Adverts and
Promotions, as well as the Nigerian
Communications Enforcement Processes, and
Regulations of 2005.
The commission had in a letter dated November 8,
2012, directed all the licensees to discontinue all
promotions and lotteries running on their networks
with immediate effect.
The promo ban, which was placed last year,
covered proposed and approved promotions
and lotteries after the Commission was
inundated with several complaints from
consumers and stakeholders against various
promotions in the various networks.

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