NCC moves to prevent service disruption for 9mobile subscribers
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has begun implementing measures to prevent service disruption of 9mobile amid reports that Teleology Holdings could abandon its acquisition deal of the beleaguered operator.
Despite the fact that none of the involved parties have asked the NCC to mediate, the regulator’s executive vice chairman Umar Garba Danbatta said that it is taking steps to accommodate the issue, noting that the NCC “both customer and investor centric”.
“We need stability in the telecoms industry and we will do everything possible to protect the interest of both the 9mobile subscribers and its investors and ensure there is no disruption of services”, said Danbatta.
Teleology Holdings Limited, in a statement, had alleged that Teleology Nigeria Limited had declined to execute a management services contract with the former, which led to its pulling out of the deal last week. According to the statement, “Such a management contract is the typical arrangement with which multinationals operate in Nigeria and is the template with which EMTS engaged Etisalat prior to its (Etisalat) departure.
“It is the same template with which Bharti Airtel is engaged with its local joint venture, Airtel Nigeria and with which MTN Group of South Africa is engaged with its local joint venture, MTN Nigeria.
“It is on the basis of such management agreements that such multinationals are legally able to impact on the operations of the local operator including sourcing of relevant expertise and financing as well as paying dividends to offshore shareholders.”
Teleology Nigeria had also in a statement, accused Teleology Holdings of not meeting its obligations in the entire 9mobile acquisition process.
The statement had said Teleology Holdings failed to meet its obligations in the entire acquisition process of 9mobile, even though it owned a minority stake in Teleology Nigeria Limited.
“It failed severally and wholly to meet their obligations. Its founder, Mr. Adrian Wood was not personally present for all the critical presentations made by the consortium during the bid process and failed abjectly with his financing arrangements with Swiss-based UBS Bank.
“In all these failings, other partners in the consortium filled the gap and pushed ahead until the sale was completed,” the statement added.
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