The nation’s telecommunications regulatory body, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has debunked reports that it has approved the renewal of the Mobile Operating Licence of telecom operator, Airtel Nigeria.
In a statement signed by the Director, Public Affairs, NCC, Dr. Ikechukwu Adinde, the Commission said: “The attention of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has been drawn to a recent statement on an online publication credited to the Managing Director/Chief Executive Office of Airtel Nigeria, Mr. Olusegun Ogunsanya, to the effect that the mobile operating licence of Airtel has been renewed by the Commission for another period of 10 years.”
NCC noted that the statement, which was said to have been made when Mr. Ogunsanya while speaking in Lagos during the media launch of Airtel’s corporate social responsibility programme, ‘Touching Lives 6’ last week , is a pre-emptive statement since the renewal application is still pending.
Some media reports had quoted Mr Oginsanya as saying that: “In 2001, Airtel procured its operating license in Nigeria and in 2021 it has renewed the same operating license for another 10-year-period.”
According to the statement from the NCC: “The Commission wishes to state that while Airtel Nigeria has applied for the renewal of the Unified Access Service (UASL) Licence granted to it by the Commission, the application is yet to be approved as it is still undergoing required regulatory process.”
The issuance of the statement is to guide stakeholders, and prevent them getting the wrong impression on the Commission’s activities.
